Black Lagoon: Dogs of War
by Ricknarok
Summary: After more than a year of constant bloodshed, it almost seemed like Roanapur had entered a state of peace. But the City of Ashes has a habit of attracting unwanted attention. Now, a young girl has appeared with unknown motives and dangerous criminals from her past are hunting her down, bringing with them untold destruction... 'Book 1 of the "City of Fire" Trilogy.'
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Fresh Hell

She hurriedly stuffed the last of the cash into her duffle, looking around her nervously every few seconds just to be safe. Her father wouldn't be home for hours, she knew that. But living the life she had lead, with the father she had, the friends and associates she had come to know, had made her more cautious than she probably needed to be. None of them suspected she would ever do anything to jeopardise them. Even at eighteen years old, Usagi had been through more than she deserved. And she had had enough. Many months had been spent going over this moment in her head, the repercussions of such a betrayal. But she could not live like this anymore, in constant fear of those who might do her harm. Her father would be unimaginably livid to learn of how she had turned on him. If her actions did not bring about his death, he would come after her. That was why she needed to be fast. If he came home early and discovered her attempting to leave, the consequences would be far worse. Rahul had been a good father once, back when his daughter was a young girl no older than ten. But recent years had changed him. His association with the less reputable members of society managed to poison his soul. Whether for power or money, he now served the darker forces at work. His actions put him and his family in considerable danger. Usagi was not prepared to deal with his poor decisions. If rival criminals did not discover where he lived, the authorities would. Usagi wasn't sure which situation was worse, in all honesty. Time behind bars in a horribly unsecure prison or a short period at the mercy of Hong Kong's gangs were her options. So she chose neither, content to witness the downfall of her own father for this of it made him realise how dangerous the world really was. He was a dangerous man, though not nearly as well-equipped for the criminal underworld as he liked to think. If not for his connections, he would have been killed long ago. Usagi finished packing her things, slung her two duffle bags around her shoulders and left the house. It was darker than usual tonight, as if to reflect the path the young girl had started herself on by doing this. Money in her shaky right hand, she flagged down a taxi, hopped in with her bags and directed him to the harbour. She could see him giving her scrutinising looks out of the corner of her eye. She chose to ignore him, more out of a desire to avoid a confrontation than anything else. If she could get to the harbour without being noticed, she would have no trouble leaving the country. There were people there who specialised in smuggling people in and out of the country, most of them contacts of her father's. As soon as they saw her face, they would be happy to oblige, despite the fact that she was alone. Even if they were utilised by her father, that did not mean they were friends with him. It was none of their business what matters his family was going through. That was one of the perks of Hong Kong's selective crime that would save Usagi tonight. The taxi pulled up at the pier she specified to the driver. She thanked him and exited the taxi awkwardly, unintentionally slamming the door behind her. That provoked a confrontational look from the driver. Nevertheless, he left once he was satisfied his rude gaze had done enough damage. Usagi struggled with the two duffle bags. They were quite heavy, after all, considering their contents. The man she sought was just up ahead. Officially, he was a fisherman, organising trips for families and work colleagues. Unofficially, he was the man to go to if you needed to disappear. Usagi needed just that right now. She strode up to him and dropped her bags at her feet. She was soaking wet, the rain seeping through her thin black jacket to dampen her sleeveless red turtleneck. She had forgotten to bring a hat. At first, the man ignored her. He was good at that. It usually deterred unwanted glances from inspectors and policemen. Once he noticed who it was, however, he immediately looked in her direction and started towards her.

"Miss Matsumoto!" he blubbered. "I didn't see you, there. Out late, aren't we?" She offered him a smile, though it was very much artificial. She was not in the best mood, understandably. He gestured to her feet. "Help with your bags?"

"Please," she said to him. "Thank you, Han." He lifted the two duffle bags from the ground without much effort and led her inside. She was eager to get in out of the rain.

"Where are you headed, then?" She was glad he did not mention Rahul. Out of the four known smugglers her father used, Han was on the best terms with the man. Usagi squeezed the rainwater from her jet-black hair and attempted to straighten it, to no avail. Her curious brown eyes looked up at Han, who produced a cigarette now that he was indoors. She did not really have to think about it. There was one place she had been in the past, a city filled with the vilest of vile and the worst scum humanity had to offer. Her father had taken her there the year her mother died. Not on a holiday or anything, naturally. It was not even close to passing off as a tourist location. No, Rahul had been on business, it seemed. That was where she would hide from him, where it would be harder to track her down if he managed to discover where she had gone.

"Roanapur," she told him, swallowing hard as if the word hurt in her throat as she said it. "Take me to Roanapur."

(*)

"Rock, take that damn thing off!" Revy ordered immediately, disgusted at his fashion sense. It was not so much a case of him having any affinity for the ridiculous straw hat that now adorned his head as it was an attempt to keep the sun out of his eyes. He emerged on deck at midday, a beer in his hand. "You look like a retard."

"Oh, I don't know," Benny disagreed, cracking open his own beer and propping his legs up on the side of the ship. "I think it's nice. Keeps the sun at bay, right?"

"I wouldn't take advice on how to dress from you if I was naked at the bottom of a well," Revy snapped jokingly.

"I suppose he should throw that shirt away, then," Rock suggested playfully. Revy's eyes narrowed at that. Rock took a seat and lay back in his chair, closing his eyes and breathing deeply. It was nice to relax, now more than ever. Despite everything that had happened over the last year or more, Lagoon Company hadn't taken any time out to really let their hair down. Drunken nights at the Yellowflag were no longer counted as downtime due to the fact that they often led to more bloodshed than they should have. Today had been a refreshing exception from the usual trip to the bar and drunken walk home. Dutch had taken the boat far out into the ocean, several miles from Roanapur's coast. All they had taken were their weapons, more out of habit than anything, and several crates of beer. Granted, they would probably still get drunk, but it would be far from the city and out of the way of danger. Dutch himself hadn't emerged yet, likely still keeping his eye on Benny's computer screen to make sure the radar was clear. They had all been on edge this last while, understandably paranoid and cautious in case anything happened. It was a given seeing as how two individuals had almost destroyed the city and two others caused unnecessary strife just by being there. But that was all over. Lagoon Company would enjoy this well-earned break from fighting. Even Revy, who could barely contain her restlessness at the fact that she had not been provided a target to shoot at, was visibly enjoying this. She had her head resting on the back of her chair, her amber eyes closed, the sun flooding over her face. It was a rare sight, like watching a bloodthirsty lion sleeping minutes before it awoke and mauled a small antelope. Rock enjoyed the taste of the cold beer as it hit the back of his throat. He was overjoyed more than any of them to have this opportunity to just hang out with his comrades and enjoy the day without having to worry about the next job. He never truly admitted it to anyone, but the last three months had been trying for him. The memory of his journey to the darkness that still left its traces in his soul to this day was fresh on his mind. He spent many nights sleepless and panicky from the thoughts of who he had almost become. Now, those concerns were basically gone and he had just about returned to normal. These people, these terrible, murderous, scummy people that had been his colleagues for a long time meant more to him than any other individual in his life. He had no close family that loved him, no acquaintances that made any effort to build up a relationship with him. No, these three pirates were his best friends and he would not trade them for anything. Dutch, the pragmatic leader of these renowned smugglers; Benny, the technological genius who never failed to amaze with his skills and knowledge of the web; and, of course, Revy, the silent gunslinger who manifested her feelings in the most frustrating yet flattering ways. He loved them all, more than they knew. More than he would ever admit to freely. Dutch finally emerged from below deck with a cigarette in one hand.

"Come to join the party, Dutch?" Benny asked, untying his ponytail and letting the wind have its way with his hair.

"If this is a party, I might as well hop overboard drown myself now," Dutch retorted, looking at the three of them splayed out in their chairs, as calm as ever. If they relaxed any more, they would be dead, he thought to himself. He walked out between Rock and Revy's chairs, leaning against the side of the boat. The sunlight shining off the blue waters caught the lens of his sunglasses, sending a sprinkling of reflective light across the ground below him.

"Gotta say, Dutch," Revy began, "this idea wasn't half bad." He chuckled.

"We needed this," he told them, his tone more serious now. "Besides, if I had to watch you and Rock try and outdrink each other one more time, I was going to have to buy the damn bar just so I could tell you both to get out."

"What's say we make this a weekly thing?" Benny suggested. "Few beers, maybe a fishing rod or two. We could make a day of it." Dutch smirked.

"If you're willing to pay for gas, sure," he agreed. "We can come out here as often as you like, Benny-Boy."

"Let's face it, Dutch, with the money we've been raking in lately, we could sail out to Australia and back every day for ten years and we'd still have money left over to buy Rock some better clothes." Rock frowned belatedly once he heard that, sitting up in his chair.

"That was uncalled for," he told the blonde man. "Besides, that's not a lot of money left over."

"Considering you're wardrobe consists of that same fucking outfit, we'd need a few thousand bucks to clothe you," Revy sniggered. Rock laughed sarcastically before laying back in his chair.

"I still have that Hawaiian shirt back at the apartment," he told her, a smirk forming on his lips in anticipation of what was to come.

"Yeah? Why the fuck don't you wear it, then?!"


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter 2: Echoes of the Dead

"This girl better pay as much as she's promising," Revy growled as she climbed aboard the Black Lagoon. A look of excitement had initially spread across her face when Dutch told them he had a job. That look gradually turned to disappointment and then annoyance once she learned this was a simple transportation job. They were to meet their contact out on the water, a man who identified himself as Han. From there, they would take a Chinese girl onto their own vessel and bring her to Roanapur. It instantly struck them as odd that this girl requested to be taken to the city. Either she did not know how dangerous it was there or she did not care. Regardless, that was beside the point.

"She hired this guy to take her halfway," Dutch reminded the stewing Revy. "That tells me she's got the cash." They weren't expecting to be hired for a job so soon. Dutch took that as a sign of their complacency, something that did not sit well with him. They had become too comfortable living off their earnings and winding down during their time off. And so Dutch accepted this job without hesitation. The peculiar Han, a man of few words, had called them early in the day to arrange this meeting. It was unknown how he got their number. It was possible he had phoned Hotel Moscow or the Triad and asked for the contact information of the local smugglers. Considering Han was in that business himself, it was also plausible that he simply knew how to discover this information himself. The job itself was unusual. This girl, Usagi, had specifically asked to be brought to Roanapur. Dutch was sure she would regret that in time. He had seen countless others brazenly waltz into the city and attempt to make a living, foolishly underestimating the dangers around them. The city chewed them all up and spat them out. The same thing would inevitably happen to Usagi. But Dutch would make no attempt to change that. She was a paying customer, one who he had no moral obligation to protect. His relationship with her was merely contractual. Once he was paid and Usagi was on land again, she was out of his control, just the way he liked it. Once they were all aboard, Dutch pulled out from the pier and made his way towards the horizon. "Keep an eye on that radar, Benny," he called to the blonde. "I want to know as soon as something shows up."

"You got it, Dutch."

"So who is this girl?" Rock asked once they had left the harbour proper. Dutch had given his crewmates the bare minimum when it came to this job. Not out of secrecy or anything, he was simply in a hurry to get underway. Han hadn't told him that much, either, just what he needed to know. If Usagi was smart, she had been vague with Han about her reasons for coming here.

"I'm not sure," Dutch admitted. "From the sounds of things, she's been involved with Hong Kong's gangs for a while now. I assume that's why she's leaving. I imagine they're after her. I'll have Benny do a more thorough search if the need arises."

"'If the need arises?'" Rock repeated. "Don't jinx it, Dutch." The big man grunted.

"Just being cautious," he assured them. "God knows we've had our fair share of bad luck in the past. If this girl is in as deep with these gangs as it sounds, she'll probably bring a whole lot of trouble with her when she steps foot in Roanapur."

"You're gonna get Chang and Balalaika involved talking like that," Revy warned. Dutch did not answer immediately. He instead took a cigarette from his pocket and lit it.

"I may have no choice," he claimed solemnly. "You both know how paranoid they are after the year they've had. They'll want to know as soon as this girl steps onto that pier." The other two said nothing, but Dutch could almost feel the judgemental glances they were giving one another in response. "It'll be worse if I don't tell them, you know that, Revy." She smirked.

"Yeah, probably," she conceded. She knew all too well the wrath of Hotel Moscow. "Just sick of this shit already."

"We all are." They weren't far out now, judging from Benny's readings. The boat up ahead was neither military nor commercial. It resembled a fishing boat more than anything. It was a miracle Han bothered at all with the disguise. Then again, Hong Kong was not Roanapur. Criminals there evidently needed to be more careful. If Han invested in a legitimate boat like the Black Lagoon, it would draw unwanted attention. It was sometimes easy to forget how simple it was to get away with illegal activities in Roanapur. They came to a stop beside the boat. It was large enough for its true purpose, but judging from the look of it, it wouldn't last a second in a collision with the Black Lagoon. Dutch's vessel would tear it to pieces. That almost made him laugh as he emerged from below deck. Han showed himself across the foot long gap between the two vehicles, a cigarette in his hand also. He eyed the three members of Lagoon Company with idle curiosity and apprehension. After a moment, he flicked his cigarette into the waters below. It was extinguished with a muffled hiss.

"Which one of you two boys is Dutch?" he asked, planting his hands in his pockets and sniffing the sea air.

"That'd be me," the burly leader of Lagoon answered, resting the palm of his hand on the butt of his revolver. He had no interest in trying to appear tough to this man. He wanted to get down to business. If Han was going to waste time, he was also going to leave here with a black eye. The Chinese man stepped forward and extended his arm. Dutch shook his hand firmly.

"Come on out," Han called behind him. The door he stepped from moments earlier remained empty for several seconds before a girl appeared. She wore simple light blue denim jeans, a sleeveless red turtleneck and silver earrings. There was also a necklace around the collar of her turtleneck, a steel cross on the end. She held two duffle bags in her hands, both of which were practically bursting at the seams. Her eyes were nervous as she scanned the three strangers on the boat opposite. "It's alright, Miss Matsumoto," Han assured her. "They're going to take you off to Roanapur." She smiled politely at them. Only Rock returned the gesture. It was not clear to the others at the time, but he saw something in her then. She was young, far too young for the life she had allegedly lived, and her family was steeped in crime. It seemed to bring up old feelings within Rock, feelings accompanied by memories of the Washimine girl and her own family. Yukio had been too pure for the world that all too quickly sunk its claws into her, dragging her from the light and turning her into what she became.

"Thank you, Han," she said to the sailor then. "I really needed this." Her voice was girlish and sweet, though there were subtle tones of despair in there too.

"Anytime," he told her. "She's all yours, Lagoon." With that, he turned and went back inside, starting the engine again. Usagi struggled to get her bags over to the other boat, prompting Dutch to reach over and grab them both with one meaty hand. The girl almost blushed in embarrassment. She nodded in gratitude before stepping over to the Black Lagoon seconds before Han's boat took off back towards China. Usagi was confused by the fact that none of the three before her moved. She immediately tapped herself on the head stupidly.

"Oh! Forgive me," she mumbled before unzipping one of the bags. There were countless wads of cash in there, along with a few miscellaneous items Lagoon Company did not take note of.

"That's more like it," Revy grumbled as they retrieved the amount they were promised from the bag. There must have been easily one million dollars in Yen.

"I appreciate this," Usagi told them. "Taking me to Roanapur, I mean. Thank you." Dutch's nose scrunched up as if he had just encountered a bad smell before he relented and smiled at the girl.

"Don't mention it," he told her, before pointing his thumb to his right. "This is Revy. She'll show you where to put your stuff until we get back to the city. After that, you're on your own." The harshness of Dutch's words almost took Usagi by surprise before she composed herself and nodded curtly. She was far too polite and well-mannered for Roanapur. She would get eaten alive there. Revy made no attempt to be civil, instead heading below deck, throwing Usagi's bags into the cabin and leaving again. The girl was utterly startled by this display.

"I wouldn't worry too much about her," Rock said kindly from the door, scratching the back of his head. "She's a little hot-headed. You'll get used to it."

"I don't think I will," Usagi joked, clasping her hands together in front of her. "I'm Usagi. But you already know that." She tittered softly, her cheeks flushing with colour. For a girl who apparently spent most of her life in fear of being murdered by her father's enemies, she was incredibly polite and easily embarrassed. Once again, that reminded Rock of his time in Tokyo with Revy. Yukio had been a terribly kind girl, with manners most adults could not boast and a warm heart. It saddened Rock to remember the dark journey she had taken, the path that eventually led to her suicide. He was not sure he would ever witness that happen again. It was a fear he had for Usagi, one he desperately hoped would not come to fruition.

"I'm Rock," he told her, smiling in an attempt to lessen her discomfort. It was obvious she was distressed.

"That's a funny name," she teased. "But you are Japanese, aren't you? What is your real name?" It was a name he hadn't used in a long time, nor was it one he ever saw himself using again.

"Rokoro," he said. "Rokoro Okajima." Usagi smiled, as if made more comfortable by this revelation. She was calmed by the idea that she was in the presence of Rokoro the Japanese man, not Rock the pirate. He took a seat across from her.

"So, tell me," he began, "why did you hire us to take you to Roanapur? I can't imagine it was the first place that came to mind."

"It was, actually," she replied. That was surprising. "I was here before, years ago. With my father. I know what it is like there, despite the patronising expressions from your friends. That's why I chose it. It's the one place my father will not find me."

"You're hiding from your father?" Usagi squirmed as though that question made her uncomfortable. She was smart, evidently, preferring not to share too much information about why she was here. Rock did not pry, instead rising from his seat. "Well…you'll be alright. You'll be safe." He was saying that more for his own peace of mind. The thought that she would be at the mercy of Roanapur unsettled him. The Black Lagoon pulled in at the pier a few minutes later. They all exited the boat then. Usagi was close behind, coming to a stop where Dutch had left her bags.

"Welcome to Roanapur," he told her with a sly grin. "Stay safe, now." He turned from her then and started towards the city itself, followed by Revy, then Benny. Rock lingered for a moment, debating with himself about how to proceed. He could offer her some harmless advice, perhaps tips on where to stay and who to avoid.

"Wait!" Usagi cried then, prompting the other three to turn around. "I…I find myself in need of a bodyguard. This city is unforgiving, that much I know. I will need protection."

"And, what, you think we're going to volunteer?" Revy laughed. There was a flicker of anger on Usagi's face at that. She was clearly not a fan of Revy. It faded immediately.

"I hear there are numerous killers here," she went on. "Assassins and such. If you would be so kind as to take me to someone who could protect me, someone who might watch over me during my time here, I would be grateful." Dutch sighed scratching his forehead in frustration. Usagi reached into one of her bags and produced a few wads of cash, throwing them on the ground.

"Please," she insisted, clasping her hands together by her chest as if she was praying. "I beg of you."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3: Out of the Den

Wolf heard a few sharp knocks on his door that morning. He was instantly torn between a desire to remain in bed and concern that whoever was at the door meant him harm. He wasn't sure if the noise was even real. It may well have been his imagination or lingering effects from a dream he was having. He entertained that idea for a few seconds until he heard that knocking again, louder this time. He slowly dragged himself from bed, pulled on his jeans and started for the door. There was a third series of knocks. He almost screamed when he heard them, their sharp pitch all but hurting his ears. He grabbed the doorknob and pulled, the light from outside piercing his eyes before they focused once again on Lagoon Company. He squinted in confusion at them, not noticing the girl behind Rock.

"I'm guessing it's bad news," he joked.

"Jesus, man, it's almost three in the afternoon," Benny told him, a tone of scolding in his voice.

"Yeah, well, I'm almost blind from opening the door," the assassin shot back. "What's going on?" He stepped back to let them in, going to his countertop and boiling the kettle. He only noticed the girl now, his cautious eyes following her every movement. She was looking around her curiously, not paying much attention to the others. "Who the fuck is she?"

"Name's Usagi," Dutch told him quietly, though she looked like she would not have heard him even if he shouted. "We just got back from a job. She hired us to take her here." Wolf scoffed.

"You might want to tell her to rest in peace," he told them. "Because she ain't going to last a day here."

"That's…sort of why we're here," Rock said then, avoiding eye contact with the assassin. He swallowed hard. "She asked us to take her to someone who could protect her. Seems she wants a bodyguard, someone who can keep her safe here." Wolf's face turned sour and he frowned. His eyes went to Usagi, then back to Rock.

"Seriously?"

"Can't think of anyone better," Dutch told him with a shit-eating grin on his face.

"Have you _tried_ anyone else?"

"Nope," Revy said bluntly. Truthfully, Wolf did not believe anyone else would agree to this. If they spent long enough searching, they could probably come up with someone who would be willing to go along with this. But they neither had the time or patience to babysit Usagi. They couldn't be more obvious about the fact that they wanted to be rid of her.

"I'm not even joking, it's getting ridiculous now," Wolf told them. "It's been over a year since I was last hired as an assassin. Am I just not good at my job anymore?" He sighed deeply and put his hand on his head. "Alright, fine, I'll do it. But she better damn well pay me. If I wanted to be someone's bodyguard, I would have gone back to Venezuela."

"Alright, that settles it," Dutch exclaimed, elated to be rid of Usagi.

"Don't get ahead of yourself, big guy," Wolf stopped him. "I have a job today. You're going to have to stay with her until I get back." Lagoon's leader once again became sullen, but he did not protest. He sat himself down on one of Wolf's chairs, facing the room and watching Usagi.

"I'm not babysitting this bitch all day," Revy whined, making no attempt to speak quietly. Usagi shot her a momentary look of derision, one which she did not maintain for fear of being shot by the volatile gunslinger.

"You can come with me if you want," Wolf told her. "I'm only going to be like ten minutes anyway."

"Where ya headed?"

"Some strip club," Wolf told her. She could already see where this was going. "GoofFest, I think. Chang wants me to get some girl for him." They shot him a concerned look. "Not like that! Or, well…maybe, I dunno. I think she just has info for him." He donned his white shirt and boots before heading out to his car with Revy, an old banged up Mustang with fading yellow paint and one smashed headlight. It wasn't the best car in the world, but it certainly did the job. All Wolf wanted it for was to get him from place to place. He started the engine and took off towards the strip club. From what Chang had told him, Wolf inferred that one of the strippers that worked at this place had information for Chang regarding a client of hers, a supposed enemy of the Triad. That was all he needed. Chang had already paid him, after all. He wasn't going to disappoint the crime lord now. "Okay, level with me," Wolf began as he rolled down the window and threw his sunglasses on. "What the actual fuck is up with that girl?"

"Who knows?" Revy answered. "Got a call this morning from some Chinese guy asking us to meet him out on the water. This bitch wanted us to take her to the city. Had a lot of cash, too."

"Not often someone asks to be brought here," Wolf said.

"You don't have to tell me." Revy proper her feet up on the dashboard and shoved a cigarette between her lips as she searched for a lighter in her pockets.

"What the hell am I supposed to do with her?" the assassin asked. He clearly wasn't happy that they had come to him with Usagi.

"You could just kick her out," Revy suggested. "Leave her in the street to fend for herself. Bitch isn't your problem, Wolfy."

"Oh, I'm tempted," he admitted. "Believe me." They pulled up outside the strip club shortly, heading on inside. Wolf immediately began looking around him spastically like a dog that spotted a squirrel. He looked like he had never been in a strip club before. That was entirely possible. He managed to convince one of the women to direct him to the owner. Rowan was a sleazy man, even in this part of town. He wore a tacky purple suit, gold jewellery and sunglasses. Two girls sat either side of him, their see-through silk gowns serving no purpose whatsoever. Wolf raised an eyebrow in amusement.

"Rebecca, so nice to see you back!" he proclaimed excitedly. "You don't visit enough, darling. I don't suppose you're here to reconsider my offer?"

"You can shove your offer, Rowan!" she spat aggressively. Wolf looked at her, startled, before returning his attention to Rowan.

"You own this place?"

"Sharp as a tack, mister!" he said, the two girls beside him laughing softly like that was the best joke they had ever heard. Wolf smiled before immediately changing his expression. The aggression in his face did not go unnoticed by Rowan, who narrowed his rodent-like eyes beneath those sunglasses and tugged nervously at his golden necklaces.

"I'm looking for a girl," he began. "And not just any girl, before you shoot your mouth off about how many girls there are around. Her name is Olivia. Can you show me to her?" Rowan lowered his glasses a few inches to look at the assassin, then to Revy. The gunslinger offered him no help, simply smirking at how uncomfortable he was.

"Who's asking?"

"Chang is, actually," Wolf told him. "He was real enthusiastic, too. Told me to make sure I found Olivia. Sounded like he'd be pissed if I didn't."

"Okay, okay," Rowan conceded. "You sure know how to make a brother sweat. She's the blonde with the small tits over there." He pointed across the room at a meek-looking young woman who was currently applying makeup. Wolf nodded in thanks before heading over to her. She looked none too pleased to be interrupted, though her eyes widened a small bit at the sight of Revy's guns.

"Sorry, sweetheart," she began, "you and your girlfriend are gonna have to come back another time. I'm busy right now."

"I won't be long," Wolf told her. "Just wanted to ask about a man named Max Kepler. D'you know him?" From the expression on her face and the way she stopped what she was doing for a second, it was obvious she knew this man. It was almost baffling how badly she hid it.

"We're not really supposed to talk about clients, hon," she said almost apologetically in her girly voice.

"Even when it's the Triad that wants to know?" At the mention of the crime organisation, Olivia put down the mirror she had been looking into and faced the two of them for the first time since they came over to her.

"Chang was asking, huh?"

"What, you got tampons in your ears?!" Revy asked angrily. "Hurry the fuck up and tell him, already!" Wolf all but exploded with laughter at that, composing himself just in time.

"Well…he was in here just yesterday," Olivia told them. "For a private show, you know. He always tips well. But he's a strange one. I get this bad vibe off him. But he's always done right by me, you know?" She fell silent then. "Why? What's he done?"

"I haven't a notion," Wolf admitted. "But Chang was asking so he mustn't be too clever. Do you know when he's going to be in here again?" Olivia looked up as she tried to remember.

"Yeah, yeah, next Tuesday," she said. "Four in the afternoon." Wolf smiled at her then as though thanking her for her time. It was all the thanks she was going to get. With that information, Chang would have Kepler intercepted and taken away when he showed up next week. Wolf's job ended there so long as he informed Chang about this. He and Revy left then, getting back into the Mustang and driving away. The entire street left a bad taste in their mouths.

"So who is this guy that Chang wants him so bad?" Revy asked.

"I think the better question is, what's this 'offer' Rowan was talking about in there?" Wolf had a smile from ear to ear, barely containing his glee. He had a fair idea what Rowan's offer was, seeing as how his establishment was a strip club and Revy easily had a better body than any of the women they had seen inside.

"Just keep driving!" she told him shrilly. He decided not to push it any further.

"I don't really know who this Max dude is," he admitted. "But he pissed of the Triad. That was information enough for me. He's Chang's problem, now." As they neared the apartment, Wolf's thoughts naturally went to Usagi. He was less than pleased about this deal, to say the least. He had no desire to take care of her nor did he really have the space. She would be forced to sleep on the couch. Not only that, but Wolf rarely ate at home. He absolutely refused to feed her. She had enough money to keep herself alive for a long time. The assassin was content to essentially let her fend for herself.

"You and the girl are gonna have fun," Revy teased with impeccable timing. "It's too cute. Really. Never thought I'd see the day when Wolfy would become a dad." Her laugh was like nails scratching a blackboard.

"If she ever needs career advice, I'll send her to you," Wolf replied. "She looks like she could get into stripping." Revy's laugh died instantly and her smile was replaced by an angry scowl. She began to smile again when Wolf assumed she was preparing her next insult.

"You never know, she might grow up to be like you. Then she can follow you out to Venezuela and push the Glasses Bitch around in her wheelchair all day." Again, her tendency to laugh at her own jokes was astounding. Wolf forced a smirk so as to not seem too annoyed by that joke.

"Well, if she ever needs some extra cash, I'll send her to Rowan's," Wolf mumbled. "Then, the two of you can get your arses out for that pig every day." It was safe to say Revy wasn't too keen on talking after that.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4: The Falling Hammer

Dutch took a deep breath as he prepared to enter Balalaika's office. He still wasn't sure if this was the best idea, but he had no other choice. He kept telling himself what he told Revy out on the water, that it would be much, much worse if Hotel Moscow found out on their own that Usagi had come to Roanapur with enemies presumably close behind. The dark wooden door swung open and Boris appeared, nodding in greeting and walking away, leaving the door ajar. Dutch could already smell the smoke from Balalaika's cigar before he entered. She was sitting at her desk examining a stack of papers when she came into view. Dutch closed the door behind him gently.

"Welcome, Dutch," she told him in her calm yet domineering voice. She gestured to the seat across from her with one pale hand, her long nails painted a fiery red colour. "Take a seat." He did as he was told, exhaling deeply as he did so. This meeting could go very wrong if Balalaika reacted badly. Considering past experience and the Russian mafia's distaste for those who would bring danger to the city, it seemed Dutch would have to deal with Hotel Moscow's wrath here today. "You sounded urgent on the phone. Nothing is amiss, I trust?" He almost smirked at that, catching himself just in time. He cleared his throat.

"Probably not," he lied in an attempt to soften the blow. "Just thought you might be interested to know we picked up a girl out on the water today."

"Oh?" Balalaika asked, treacherous intrigue in her voice as she laid down her papers and looked up at Dutch for the first time since he had entered the room.

"From Hong Kong," Dutch went on. "A local smuggler contacted us, claiming she wanted to be brought here."

"An odd request."

"That's what I thought. Turns out she's running away from her father. Supposedly, he's involved with the wrong people back home. I assume that means people will be following her." Balalaika grinned, but her face spoke volumes about how dissatisfied she was with this turn of events.

"You put me in a difficult position, Dutch," she mused, sitting back in her chair. "You understand the consequences of this girl being here? You will, of course, be held accountable if this comes back on Hotel Moscow."

"I understand," he told her firmly. "Just thought you'd want to know. So far, the girl doesn't seem to have brought any unwanted guests with her. The docks are quiet. No sign of anyone." Balalaika grunted.

"And where is the girl now?" Dutch hesitated for a moment. "Oh, relax, Dutch. If I was going to kill the girl, you'd be the first to know." He chuckled, glad that she hadn't decided to come down on him as hard as he suspected she would. She was taking this surprisingly well considering how paranoid she had been lately about intruders in the city. Perhaps that was a sign things were finally returning to normal. How tragically unfair that Usagi showed up now to make sure that never happened.

"She's with the Wolf," he told her. "Seems she's paying him to be her bodyguard."

"Smart girl," Balalaika mulled, placing her head on one hand and exhaling a trail of smoke. "Thank you, Dutch." She did not need to say it, that was her way of dismissing him. He nodded and rose from his seat, starting for the door. "And, Dutch…" The big man halted, turning to glare at Balalaika through his sunglasses. "Do keep me up to date, won't you? I'll want to know as soon as something happens." He smiled before nodding approvingly.

"Sure thing." He headed on outside and entered his car once again. Rock turned to face him, clearly worrying something was wrong.

"How bad did she take it?" he asked, panic in his voice. Clearly he had expected Hotel Moscow to react aggressively to this. It wouldn't have been the first time they were put at odds with Lagoon Company, but it may have been the last if Usagi's pursuers turned out to be dangerous enough.

"Better than I thought," Dutch replied, starting the car. "She made it clear that we're to blame if this bites her in the ass. Frankly, I'll take that as long as that girl's father keeps his nose out of Roanapur's business."

"You know he won't, Dutch," Rock warned. "From the sounds of it, he's going to stop at nothing to get her back. Did she say why he was coming after her?" Dutch sat forward in his chair then. An idea came to him, one he wasn't sure would play out too well. But if it worked, it would serve as an advantage, especially if relations with Balalaika went sour.

"No, actually, she didn't," he muttered. Rock noticed the contemplative look on his face.

"What are you thinking?"

"I'm thinking we need someone to prod her for information," Dutch began, a roguish smirk creeping its way onto his face. Rock groaned, clearly anticipating who would be elected for such a task. "You up for it, Rock? I doubt she'll open up to any of us."

"What makes you think _I'll_ have any luck?!"

"You got a way with people, my man," Dutch assured him. "Trust me, once you get to know her, she'll tell you everything. Just don't take too long. There's no telling when her dad might show up." Rock moaned, his manner almost sulky. But it was true, if Dutch tried to interrogate the girl, she would immediately know something was off and refuse to tell him anything. And Rock didn't even want to think about what Revy might do to pry information from the girl. Either Usagi would end up riddled with bullets, or Revy would have to be dragged from the apartment by her hair. So it was left to Rock. He couldn't deny, his people skills were far superior to those of his companions. If anyone could make her complacent enough to let something slip, it was Rock. He wasn't sure how he felt about being so sly to find out why her father was coming after her but they didn't really have a choice. It was either this or silently waiting until the day when her father and presumably a retinue of Hong Kong's nastiest criminals showed up demanding vengeance for harbouring her. Dutch took off towards Wolf's apartment, coming to a steady stop outside it. "Give me a call when you have what we need." Rock smiled nervously before exiting the car. Dutch wasted no time in driving away. He enjoyed making Rock uncomfortable just then a little too much, he suspected. The Japanese man gradually made his way up the short flight of steps to the door, glancing around him all the way. He couldn't have looked more uncomfortable if he had a cactus shoved down the front of his trousers. He knocked on the door gently three times. Wolf answered, frowning in confusion immediately.

"If you have another girl out there, I'm full up," he jested. Rock scoffed.

"Is she in there?"

"'Course she is," the assassin told him, almost offended by the notion that he would let Usagi out of his sight after less than a day of guarding her. "Don't tell me she's after bringing a shitstorm with her already?"

"Can I come in?" Rock asked, his patience wearing thin. "I just want to talk to her. We still don't know why she ran away from home, after all. Not really."

"Yeah, the whole 'my father is a nutcase' thing was a bit vague," Wolf agreed. He stepped back and let Rock in. Usagi was sitting on the couch, her back so straight it could have been made from stone. She turned to face Rock, smiling warmly at him. He took that as a sign that Wolf wasn't exactly giving her a warm welcome.

"Rokoro," she greeted him. He couldn't help but blush once he heard that. Wolf shot him a mischievous glance before heading into his bedroom. Rock joined Usagi on the couch.

"Hey, Usagi. I, uh…I just came by to see how you were doing."

"It's only been a day," she told him, giggling all the while. "But I appreciate the concern. I'm doing well enough."

"How's your new bodyguard working out?" Rock asked, assuming he was the main reason she had been less than comfortable.

"Very well, actually," she told him, much to his surprise. "He's been very hospitable. But he doesn't talk much."

"Actually, he probably talks more than anyone else you'll meet in this city."

"I don't doubt it." She considered him for a moment, her light brown eyes washing over him as if checking for danger. He was immediately aware of this, averting his eyes in case they gave away something. "I sense you have more to say." He considered being straight with her. While that would undoubtedly frighten her and perhaps cause her to distrust him, he could not help but get the sense that she would be comfortable opening up to him. Despite his allegiances and the types of people he hung around with, he was a very likable, trustworthy man.

"Something still bothers me about why you left China," he told her, ignoring that voice inside him that urged him to continue deceiving her. Her expression turned forlorn, but not suspicious. He took that to mean she would tell him a bit more about her father. "You said you were fleeing your father. But why is that? What reason could you have for being so afraid of him?" Usagi swallowed, evidently made nervous by this. If she was to remain in this city, she supposed she would have to confide in somebody.

"I couldn't stay there anymore," she began. "My father was a good man, once. At least I believe so. But he is not himself these days. He has spent too long bowing to the power of that city's crime. I know it can only end badly. So I left him. I want to be free of that life." That didn't really answer Rock's question. He decided to probe her further, but he would be cautious. One wrong move and she would seal her lips.

"You said he was coming after you, though." There was a flicker of something in her eyes for a moment, perhaps momentary fear or doubt. Rock could not tell. He instead awaited her reply.

"I did," Usagi agreed, looking at her feet. "Yes, I did. My father…I took a lot of things from his house- _our_ house-when I left. He would be furious about, um…his money and his…possessions." She was losing the run of herself now, stumbling over her words and hesitating. She was hiding something.

"Usagi," Rock spoke softly. She looked up from the ground then, definite fear in her eyes. There was something about her, about her manner. It was not necessarily her father she was afraid of.

"I-well, I…" Wolf re-entered the room then, startling the two of them. The moment was lost, now. Rock hadn't gotten the concrete information he was hoping for, but he did have a hunch, one he was eager to present to Dutch and the rest. He offered Usagi one more smile before rising and leaving the apartment, waving at the assassin before closing the door behind him. He hurriedly reached for his phone and dialled Dutch's number.

"That you, Rock?" the American answered.

"Yeah, it's me."

"You get the information we need?" Rock groaned.

"Not exactly," he admitted. Dutch's sigh of dissatisfaction was audible on the other side but Rock went on nonetheless. If his theory was right, Dutch needed to hear it right away. "But I did talk to her. I almost had her giving me what we needed. She gave me a lot about her father and why she left. Dutch, I'm not convinced her father isn't working for somebody else."


	5. Chapter 5

Chapter 5: The Flip of a Coin

"Your move, Eda," Revy groaned, making no attempt to appear enthusiastic. The blonde nun across from her examined the cards in one hand and took a drink with the other.

"You're off your game, Revy," she mocked, laying her cards down on the table and snatching up the dollar bills. The smile on her face was sickening as she stuffed her fresh earnings into the pocket of her habit. "Hey, Revy! Anyone awake in there? You usually react angrier to me taking your money." Lagoon Company's gunslinger barely emoted at all, her eyes staring blankly into space and her head propped up on her hand.

"Great, whatever," she mumbled eventually. "Fucking sick of playing this shitty game anyway."

"Who fucked you and never called you again?" Eda asked, sitting forward and resting her chin on her clasped hands. "You've been distracted ever since this girl showed up." Revy grunted. It was unclear whether she was disinterested or in denial about being distracted by Usagi's appearance. Everyone knew Revy had been at the forefront during all three of Roanapur's invasions during the last year. As well as that, it had been a little over a week since she followed Lucille out to the countryside in pursuit of Wolf. It all had to be taking its toll on her. Usagi's appearance, along with the complicated threat of outside dangers, likely brought up fresh memories for her.

"That bitch isn't worth my time," she grumbled. "To tell you the truth, I'm itching for a fight. Haven't seen a good shitshow in a long time." Eda wrinkled up her nose.

"Didn't you take out half the fucking country when you went outside the city a week ago?"

"It ain't the same," Revy told her. "Forget it." Content to let it be, either out of some deep respect for Revy or a desire to protect herself from the woman's anger, Eda reached or the bottle and refilled both their glasses.

"Well, you're in a hell of a mood," she teased. "If this Chinese girl is worth the trouble, she'll be bringing people with her soon enough. You'll get your chance then, Two-Hands." Revy actually smiled at the thought. Killing was something she did recreationally. It helped relieve her stress. Only now did it seem that the act was selective for Revy, who apparently got no release from killing the Golden Legion. Perhaps that had more to do with what she was doing there than who she was fighting.

"Forgive me father, for I have sinned." Neither of them even noticed the door of the church open. They both turned to see Wolf strutting up towards the altar, his arms outstretched. He was once again wearing that leather aviator jacket, the many bullet holes and cuts now stitched up. Revy grinned devilishly, her mood seemingly lightened.

"Come to take me up on my offer, Wolfy?" she asked, gesturing to the playing cards strewn across the surface of the table. He laughed at such a ridiculous suggestion.

"Not a hope," he told her. "I'm lousy at cards."

"You don't even know what we're playing," Eda pointed out. Wolf shrugged his shoulders.

"Literally all card games hate me. Anyway, that's not why I'm here." Eda raised an eyebrow at him as she downed her drink.

"What's your pleasure, then? Did you come for guns or are you just making a more…personal visit?" The assassin frowned at the absurdity of that question, though Revy thought she could spot his cheeks blushing. He shook it off, coming to a stop a few feet from the table.

"Guns, my good woman," he told her. "Or, well, one gun. If you can get it. Is the old bitch home?"

"You know we can get whatever gun you want," she assured him, though there was more sharpness to her tone than she intended. "And, no, she isn't home. What's the gun?"

"MP5," Wolf told her, coming up to the altar and taking the bottle of alcohol in his hands and examining it with disgust. "What the fuck is this shit?"

"How's the little brat getting along?" Revy asked, knocking back her own drink. It was rum, evidently. Of course it was. Revy was rarely seen drinking anything else. Judging from the assassin's expression, however, it wasn't a very popular or tasteful brand, nor was it one he had ever seen even at the Yellowflag.

"She's okay," he began, unscrewing the bottle and sniffing the alcohol inside. The face of disgust he bore made Revy laugh. "Doesn't do much, you know? She just sits around all day looking out the window. I thought she might want to go for a walk or something."

"She's not a fucking dog," Revy reminded him.

"Yeah, well, she's not your average eighteen year old either. Anyway, I better move. She's been on her own for about an hour now. MP5 as soon as possible." He pointed at Eda as he backed away. She smiled at him.

"Fucking pay me, then you'll get your gun." He flipped her off before turning and leaving the church. The mention of Usagi brought her back into his mind. He hadn't really considered the implications of leaving her alone. Considering she was paying him to be her bodyguard, he wasn't doing that good of a job. He hadn't initially wanted to go through with this, nor was he too pleased about it now. This had likely stemmed into his subconscious tendency to leave her alone. It was born from some twisted resentment for the girl, an aggressive feeling she did not deserve. Wolf may not have liked it, but he needed to do a better job of protecting her. If her father and his lackeys were as dangerous as they sounded, they wouldn't be stopped easily. Usagi would be their first priority. That meant the assassin's apartment wasn't safe. He couldn't afford to leave it so often, at least without Usagi. She was too innocent and defenceless for this city. Wolf had spent some time recently trying to rid himself of an innate weakness he believed resided within him, a desire to help others. While those urges had been basically suppressed completely, he could not help but want to keep Usagi safe. He came to a stop outside his apartment and exited the Mustang. There were voices coming from his apartment. If that was Rock again, the assassin was going to scream. As he neared the door, he noticed the voices were raised. Usagi was screaming, too, and she sounded scared. Wolf's hand went to his holstered Desert Eagle. He cocked it and forced his way inside, training his gun on the first and only unknown he saw. A tall Chinese man with neat black hair and a clean blue suit turned to face him, raising his own Glock 17.

"Drop it," the assassin ordered him, keeping his unwavering glance on the intruder.

"Dad, don't do it!" Usagi pleaded. "He's protecting me, he's not an enemy."

"Quiet, Usagi!" the man commanded, his eyes never coming away from the assassin. "So, you are the Wolf, are you? My daughter's been telling me all sorts of things about you." He did not smile. It seemed perfectly plausible that he was incapable of doing so, judging from his increasingly serious expression.

"And who might you be?"

"Rahul Matsumoto," he replied. "A pleasure. But I'm afraid I can't stay long. I'll be taking my daughter and leaving."

"I can't let you do that."

"Why?" Rahul asked, raising his eyebrows. "She's paying you, I assume? I'll double your rate and you'll never hear from us again." Wolf had to admit, that offer was tempting. Not only that, but it would effectively solve their problems. Usagi's presence here put the city in danger. Not only that, but if she left, she would take her father and any of his associates already in the city with him. That would appease Hotel Moscow and Wolf would earn a lot of cash in the process. There was no obvious downside to this. Except, of course, the conscience Wolf still had, deep down somewhere inside him. It was incredulously frustrating how weak he could be after all these years, not content to let Rahul take his daughter back home. It was Usagi's expression that clawed at Wolf's heart the most. She did not look scared or worried. No, her face bore an expression of hopelessness. She already assumed the assassin would accept her father's offer. He wasn't sure if that made him angry or sad. Rahul, too, looked like he had the assassin in the palm of his hand. Wolf was going to regret this.

"No can do, Matsu…matameet…mat-fuck, whatever your name was. Drop the gun." Rahul immediately frowned. He gritted his teeth before starting towards the door. Wolf stepped aside to let him pass. He came to a halt just outside the door.

"You will regret not taking me up on that offer," he claimed.

"Oh, I believe you," Wolf agreed, already annoyed at himself for not letting Usagi go. What made it worse was the fact that, once back home with her father, Usagi would not be hurt, at least not by Rahul. This decision was seeming more foolish by the second.

"I will be back for my documents," he went on. "Mister Woods will hear of this." Before Wolf got a chance to ask the man anything, he was leaving, getting into a black car across the street. Wolf closed the door slowly. The Chinese man's words had been chilling, for more reasons than one. Usagi came forward meekly, fiddling with her hands.

"I…didn't think you would refuse him," she said. "I…thank you." Before he could question her, she was hugging him tightly. He patted her on the back. That encounter raised even more questions about why Rahul pursued his daughter so relentlessly. Usagi pulled away, blushing now, before retreating into one of the other rooms. That was either a clever tactic to avoid questioning or a harmless coincidence. Wolf went for his phone, searching through his contacts. He stopped on Lucille's number. He wasn't entirely comfortable calling anyone else right now. This situation was tricky and he needed to talk about it, preferably to someone who would understand. Lucille arrived a few moments later in her usual attire minus the beret. Wolf was quick to explain the basic outline of the situation, giving her more details regarding the difficult position he was now in. When he was done, she looked conflicted. If anyone would understand Wolf's trepidation, it was Lucille. She was perhaps one of the only criminals in the city with any significant principles and morals left in her, though they would fade in time.

"So what do you think?" he asked. "Was I fucking stupid to refuse his offer?" Lucille grinned at him.

"Probably, considering what Balalaika will do to you when she finds out," she told him, much to his chagrin. "But I think it was the right decision, if that's worth anything. She clearly doesn't want to go back. It wouldn't have been right to force her into that position." Wolf exhaled.

"Yeah, maybe," he said.

"You should ask her about what her father said," Lucille advised. "These…documents, this Mister Woods…there's more going on here than she shared when you took her in." Wolf chuckled.

"Of course there is," he said, sighing deeply. He should have known she would keep him in the dark about how tricky this whole situation really was. It sounded like she was in a lot more trouble than she initially led them all to believe. "The others aren't going to be too happy about this."

"I think they'll understand," Lucille assured him. "Lagoon Company, anyway. Rock would have refused Rahul's offer in a second, you know that. Dutch will probably understand, even if he doesn't agree. Can't speak for Benny. I don't really know him that well."

"And Revy?" Lucille tried and failed to contain a laugh.

"Oh, she's going to shoot you for sure."


	6. Chapter 6

Chapter 6: The Black Death

Hunter emerged from below deck just after midday. According to the captain, they were only an hour from Roanapur. He regretted that his presence was called for, but he would not sit idly by either. These strangers wanted to harbour a girl who had stolen from him and seriously hurt his operation. That was an unacceptable crime. For that, he was eager to show himself and lay down the law to these lowlifes. He had been in this business a long time and he never failed to let his enemies know who was in charge. Time and time again, he had brought supposed troublemakers to their knees and struck fear into their hearts. This city would be no different, he hoped. But it was complicated. There were others there who would not so easily bow to him. The wretched city was ruled by three very powerful criminal organisations. Hunter did not want a war, he wanted Usagi back. As he strode to the end of the ship and leaned against the side, he spotted some of the sailors giving him sideways glances. That was commonplace. After all, he was not Chinese, nor had he grown up in China. He was an American, in his early fifties with greying hair and a grizzly beard. Many of the local gangs and cabals in Hong Kong did not take too kindly to his arrival in the city ten years ago. They were quickly silenced by his allies. In that time, he had risen to the top of the food chain in the Asian city. He ruled with an iron fist. There were few who would challenge him. Then again, Roanapur was an altogether different city. It would be far different there, but Hunter knew his way around criminals. He was dressed in his finest attire, an expensive black suit minus tie, complete with a shirt of matching colour that was open at the collar. Leather gloves and loafers covered his hands and feet while a heavy overcoat hung over him, stretching down to his knees. A red scarf was also wrapped around his neck, the only item of any colour on him. His deep brown eyes surveyed the ocean around him as his ship neared their destination. Every person on this vessel was bought and paid for by Hunter's crime syndicate. He owned every single one of them and he could burn every single one of them if they even considered crossing him. Rahul came up behind him a few moments later.

"Captain says we're almost there," he informed his boss. "Shouldn't be too long, now."

"You've been there before," Hunter pointed out in his coarse Georgian accent. "Before the other day, I mean. Is it as bad as they say?" Rahul almost laughed.

"Worse," he claimed. "Criminals run rampant in the streets and the law barely exists there." Hunter couldn't help but grin at that. His smile was chilling, his white teeth bared like fangs and his lips pulled back towards his ears.

"How fitting," he mused. "If things go south, I'd like to have the opportunity to do things my way, you know?" Rahul nodded. He relished these moments when he could just speak to his boss on a personal level, for when Hunter donned his professional persona, there was no chit chat. "You made the call, right? I don't want to be sitting on my ass doing fuck all when we dock."

"I made the call," Rahul assured him. "The city's leaders have agreed to meet with you. I doubt they expected you to be so civil."

"Shit, why wouldn't I be?" Hunter asked, straightening. "I have no problem with these guys. They're doing their own thing, I respect that. All I want is your daughter. You said you knew where she was staying, didn't you?" Rahul nodded, swallowing hard in anticipation of what he knew was coming. "Christ, don't look so scared, buddy. If I was going to tell you off for not killing her bodyguard, I'd have done it by now. I just want you to have one of the boys watch the place. Make sure we know where your daughter is at all times." That was a relief, for the tentatively frightened Rahul, at least. He was doubtful that his boss would harm Usagi, but nothing was ever a certainty with Hunter. He was quite unpredictable, in the most terrifying of ways. Roanapur came into view shortly, their ship passing by the Buddha statue out on the water. Hunter glanced at it derisively, smirking in ridicule before refocusing his attention on the dock ahead. He was glad the city's leaders had agreed to speak with him. He would have no qualms about disposing of them if they tried anything, but he was always eager to get an insight into the minds and dealings of other criminal leaders. He had spent a long time forging a name for himself back in Hong Kong. He always found it interesting to see what others had accomplished elsewhere. His ship came to a stop by the pier and the sailors dropped the plank. Hunter was the first to walk off the vessel, followed by Rahul and three suited subordinates. Their suits were all clean and navy, with impeccable white shirts and ties that matched their jackets. They also wore sunglasses and had guns holstered beneath their arms, hidden from view. A tall blonde woman stepped forward to greet him, dressed in a dark red skirt suit. She had burns all over her body, judging by the scorch marks on her right breast, her neck and the entire right half of her face. She offered a smile in greeting, though the slew of armed, suited men behind her spoke volumes about how dangerous she was. If Hunter's information was correct, this was Balalaika, the leader of the Russian mafia here in Roanapur. He gave her that 'bared-fangs' smirk and extended one gloved hand.

"Miss Balalaika, a pleasure," he told her. She took his hand and shook it.

"You must be Mister Woods," she deduced. "I was wondering when you'd arrive. Please, follow me." She got into the limousine that had been waiting for her and shut the door. Hunter and his people were shown to a second vehicle. They travelled through the city's streets for several minutes. Hunter used this opportunity to scan the areas they drove through, constructing a mental map of the city as he did so. If this all went to hell, he wanted to be sure he could navigate the city. They arrived at a tall, skyscraper-like building. Once inside, they took the elevator to the penthouse. Hunter immediately spotted the two seated men, one Japanese, one black. Balalaika took the seat between them and motioned to the only empty seat across from them. Hunter took it. Balalaika's people left the room immediately, as did Hunter's. It was obvious this meeting was important. None of the four present wanted interference or interruption from their underlings. The Japanese man sat forward in his seat.

"Mister Woods, we've been awaiting your arrival," he said. "So glad you could join us. There was a point there when we weren't sure if you were going to show at all."

"Please excuse Chang," Balalaika said. Hunter sensed they were using some sort of tactic to lull him into a false sense of security. That, or Roanapur's leaders genuinely had a dysfunctional relationship. "Why don't you tell us what it is you want?"

"Thought you'd know that by now," Hunter joked. "Well, let me start from the beginning in case your memories are all failing. A couple of days ago, a girl called Usagi stole something of value to me. I have it under good authority that she came here. Her father followed her, actually. Went to see her just yesterday."

"Is that so?" the black man to Hunter's left asked in a deep, almost startling voice.

"It is indeed," Hunter answered. "But, you see, it seems she's up and gotten herself some sort of bodyguard." His false surprise was sickening. "Some guy that calls himself the Wolf or some shit like that. He wouldn't let her go."

"That's all well and good, Mister Woods," Balalaika began, "but you still haven't told us exactly what you want." Hunter frowned. "Is it the girl you're after, or what she stole from you?" He seemed to think on that.

"That's a damn fine question," he remarked, flashing that smile again. "Well, let's not beat around the bush. All I really need back for sure is what she took from me. But I'm guessing she's the only one who knows where it is. For that, and for taking it in the first place, I want Usagi. Turned over to me. Now, I get that you three have a city to run. Don't get me wrong, I don't want to show up and put your collective balls in a vice. But…she _is_ hiding out in your city, right? So I'll probably be hanging around for a while. Try and find the girl. As soon as I get her back, I'll be out of your hair." He rose from his seat then and started towards the door, raising his right arm and extending two fingers by way of goodbye. "Until then, ta-ta." He walked through the doors and re-joined his own people, entering the elevator and pushing the button for the ground floor.

"What news?" Rahul asked, eager to know if he was getting his daughter back. It always annoyed Hunter on some level how much Rahul put his own daughter's welfare before the state of their business. But that was beside the point. He supposed he could not blame a father for caring about his daughter.

"We'll have to wait and see," Hunter said. "I told them I wanted Usagi turned over to me. They'll get the picture eventually, don't worry. I'm a stranger from another country that promised to stick around until I get this girl. They have no reason to refuse me. We'll be getting Usagi back sooner than you think, Rahul."

"You're sure?" Rahul asked, again obsessing about his daughter's safety.

"Yes, I'm sure," Hunter insisted. "They'd be incredibly stupid to try anything. Besides, even if they do try to keep the girl, I have no problem laying out the law of the land. Usagi…and what she took from me…they're my property. And anyone who tries to steal from me gets their brains turned to gravy." He gently patted the pocket of his overcoat as if to make sure _it_ was still in there. He wanted those documents. Usagi was always a rebellious girl. The day he met her, not long after he absorbed her father into his business, he could tell she would be trouble. He just underestimated how much trouble. He had only himself to blame, he grudgingly admitted, for entrusting Rahul with the documents. That gave Usagi access to them. Nevertheless, what was done could not be undone. They were in this situation now and the only way they would get out of it was if Balalaika turned Usagi over to Hunter, or if he made an example of the city's leaders. It had been a while since he had been forced to outline the new world order to disobedient underlings. He would almost relish the opportunity to do so again. The thrill of breaking down a crime lord before their subjects was like nothing else, a feeling that Hunter had experienced several times before. Of course, Roanapur's ruling criminal organisations would not go down easy. They were resourceful, numerous, widespread and powerful. That spelled doom for any potential enemies. But Hunter would be up to the task if they dared to swindle him.

"Would they try to use the documents for their own gain?" Rahul asked. Hunter shook his head, absolutely certain of his answer already.

"No," he grunted bluntly. "Not a chance. You know why I need them back. The only person the documents are any use to is me. And I'll get them back if I have to burn these people alive."


	7. Chapter 7

Chapter 7: A Bullet Just For You

The flame from the lighter lit up the cold, dark air around Revy as she singed the end of her cigarette and put it in her mouth, taking a long drag. The trail of smoke swept back towards the glass of the command centre as the Black Lagoon thundered through the murky waters below. There weren't any other boats for miles, nor was there any land in sight. They were out in the ocean further than they normally would be, more towards Vietnam's coast than Thailand's. Hunter's presence in the city not only complicated their situation, it had put Roanapur's leaders on high alert. The man seemed agreeable enough, willing to back off if he got what he wanted. But that would not lull the city's ruling crime lords into a false sense of security. They were sure he would be bringing people into Thailand by boat. And so Lagoon Company had been hired to keep an eye out. Or two of them had been, at least. Revy was sat on the prow of their boat, sulking like she was want to do when things didn't go her way. Her unoccupied hand went to the faint mark on her right arm where she had been grazed. It was not a severe injury, nor did it hurt anymore. But it was not the injury that bothered her. Dutch emerged from the boat's interior and walked up behind her.

"You're quiet," he told her. "Even for you."

"Fuck off, Dutch," she growled at him.

"I've known you a long time, Revy," he said. "Long enough to know when you're pissed. And I'm not stupid. That was tense, back there."

"If you say so." She traced the groove of the graze on her arm. The one she had given Wolf was worse. His strike hadn't connected like hers.

"I'm just glad I got a hold of you when I did," Dutch grumbled, almost reading her mind. "You two have had a rocky relationship from the get go. But now's not the time to get into it." Revy grunted in annoyance.

"You don't think what he did was stupid?!"

"Of course I do," he assured her. "It was goddamn suicidal. But that doesn't change the fact that it's done. Wolf is Balalaika's problem now. If she wants the girl, she'll take her." They were both silent for a while, the memory of what had gone down in the assassin's apartment fresh on both of their minds. Wolf's decision to keep Usagi when her father offered to pay him in exchange for taking her home was seen as the worst decision he could have made by almost everyone who knew. Revy, in particular, had utterly lost her temper with him. That naturally led to a confrontation, one that may well have left one of them badly hurt if Dutch hadn't intervened. "You should talk it out. I know it ain't your style, but if you two are as stubborn as you seem, bottling up your feelings isn't going to do any of us any favours."

"You think I give a shit what that fucking leprechaun thinks?" Revy snapped, taking another drag of her cigarette. Her plum-coloured hair blew freely in the wind tonight, no longer tied back in a ponytail.

"No," Dutch answered simply. "In fact, I'm pretty sure you don't. But we're in this shit now. You might as well sort it out with him." That was a long shot, Dutch knew that. Revy wasn't one to talk things out, not even with her own crew. Her once highly strenuous relationship with Rock proved that. She clashed with him on multiple occasions, refusing to ever clear the air through talking. It literally wasn't her style. It seemed doubtful that would change anytime soon.

"There ain't nothing to sort out," she proclaimed adamantly. Dutch sighed. He supposed he couldn't have hoped for anything better. The sound of a gun being cocked made Revy turn around. Dutch was holding that shotgun he was so fond of.

"You can never be too careful," he said. Revy scoffed, turning her attention back towards the water.

"You really think we'll come across anyone out here?" Hunter had come to the city on his own ship. Revy assumed he would have brought anyone with him that he'd need should negotiations turn sour. She did not believe he would waste his time calling in reinforcements when he likely already had the bulk of his force on that ship at the docks.

"Balalaika thinks so," he reminded her. "And she's paying. That was incentive enough for me." The boat was still moving forward, though at a much slower pace since Dutch emerged. It was unlikely that they would spot any seafaring vessel at all, even more unlikely still they would see anything in the darkness of this night. But Dutch wasn't one to pick and choose his jobs. He had done some morally questionable things in the past, as had his crewmates. This was a refreshing change, something that would give him the opportunity to do his job and relax at the same time. And on the off chance that they actually did come across one of Hunter's ships, it would give Revy a chance to blow off some steam.

"You remember that night out on the water, Dutch?" Revy asked him out of the blue. It was a thought he was working his way up to, one that seemed relevant right now.

"Those Nazi fucks didn't know what hit them," Dutch laughed to himself. The shotgun he now held was the same one he used when they climbed aboard that ship. This night reminded him of that job all too well. He wasn't sure where Revy was going with this, but he had a hunch. If he was right, it was strange of her to openly advocate to talk about it.

"That was a fucked up night," she continued. "Whole job was fucked from the beginning. Some senile Nazi fucker who collected paintings, right? Some fucking job that turned out to be. Waste of our time is all it was. We just went out there to do that prick's dirty work. I remember when we found the painting, down in the U-boat. Me and Rock." She stopped to take another lingering drag of her cigarette. "Fucking Rock. What a goddamn pussy. You knew something was up the second we went out to deal with those Aryan fucks. You asked me about it." She fell silent once more, prompting Dutch to pipe up and weigh in.

"Of course I did," he told her, almost surprised that she hadn't expected him to. He cleared his throat awkwardly. "You said you couldn't partner with him, didn't you? Hell of a journey you two have been through." She did not answer him, but her silence said it all. It was difficult to figure out where she was leading with this conversation, what it was she was trying to get off her chest. But it was Rock. It was always Rock. Her relationship with him, her bond, went almost beyond friendship without showing any signs of doing so. They were closer than most in Roanapur, and yet Revy treated him like a hindrance on several occasions. Dutch still couldn't figure out how they functioned as companions at all.

"He's still a goddamn cocksucker," Revy claimed.

"But it's better now," Dutch surmised. "That's only natural, given all the shit you've been through." Again, they both remained silent for a time. Nothing needed to be said. Dutch's skill at reading people was incredible. He knew immediately what Revy was getting at. She had a hard time putting her feelings into words and voicing her concerns, but it was obvious how much she cared about her friends. In some way-some strange, convoluted, broken way-Revy was telling Dutch how much she cared about Lagoon Company, about her friends in the city, about Wolf. In time, perhaps she would make an effort to make things right again. It almost pleased Dutch to see this. "You're like a closed book, Revy," he told her eventually as she continued to smoke the pathetic remnant of a cigarette in her hand. "But you don't have to be, alright? I've known you longer than any of the others, you know that." She didn't respond. "I'm here." With that, he turned and headed back inside, the faint sound of what might have been Revy sighing reaching his ears. Perhaps she had been attempting to answer him. It didn't matter now. He increased the speed of the Black Lagoon, circling the area in search of any vessels that might appear on the horizon. Despite the fact that this would basically start a war if it got back to Hunter, Dutch and Revy would wipe out any signs of life on one of the crime lord's ships if one appeared. It was an attempt to hurt his efforts if he got it in his head to start attacking the city's leaders. It would probably get back to him eventually, regardless. They just hoped at that point, he either wouldn't care or he'd be too preoccupied with Usagi to be bothered. Revy finished her cigarette and tossed it into the water. She felt almost dirty after that conversation with Dutch, like she had been rolling around in muck all day and couldn't wash it off. She curled up into a ball in response. As tough and persistent a person as she was, her vulnerability was undoubtedly her biggest weakness. It was something she did not tolerate within herself, just as it was something she ridiculed in others, likely a result of the disdain she held for it when it manifested itself within her. Now, it was stronger than ever, a dark, twisted possession that would not release her. Dutch was the one who took her into Lagoon Company. He had been the only one she had known for a long time, the only one who was there when they came back from a job. And even now, that conversation with him made her uncomfortable. That was how broken she was. And that thought made her hate herself. The torpedo boat came to a sudden stop, prompting Revy to look behind her though the glass. Dutch pointed towards the horizon. Sure enough, there was a boat there. But it looked small, too small to be carrying any significant number of people. If it belonged to Hunter, he was dangerously underprepared for a confrontation with the combined forces of the Triad, Hotel Moscow and the Formation. Revy came to her feet and took her Cutlasses from their holsters. Her fingers were twitching as they neared this boat. It had come to a stop not far away, the lights inside all on. There were people aboard, alright. Whether they worked for Hunter or not was another matter. Frankly, Revy didn't care. If they were armed and confrontational, she was eager to take them out. A smile managed to creep its way across her face as she was filled with newfound energy. It had been a long time since she enjoyed killing. Recently, whenever she gunned down enemies it was always more like a chore or a matter of survival. Perhaps the time had come again for Revy to rediscover that part of herself that allowed her to revel in the deaths of her enemies. Dutch brought the Black Lagoon to a stop beside the unknown boat. It was of a similar model, and was about the same size. There were men aboard, all dressed in navy suits and wearing sunglasses. They were Hunter's people, then. One of the men stepped forward, sparse hair on his chin and a face that even the kindest of mother's couldn't love. He smirked at the sight of the armed Revy, taking his own Glock 17 in his hand. Revy thought Dutch might join her, as he had clearly intended to not long ago. She was glad to see that he was still firmly planted in his seat on the other side of the window behind her.

"Look at this, boys," the ugly man roared. Revy gave him a look that suggested she was utterly unimpressed by him. "We got ourselves a gun-slinging bitch who thinks she can tangle with us. What's say we prove her wrong?" Revy laughed openly at the absurdity of this display.

"If you're done stroking your own dick, I've got places to be!" He didn't take too kindly to that remark. All of the men aboard produced their weapons all too slow. They were all dead in seconds.


	8. Chapter 8

Chapter 8: Perspective

The orange glow of the sun seeped through the shades this early morning as Rock peered outside towards the boathouse. Dutch and Revy had been gone all night, working for Balalaika. Hotel Moscow was understandably concerned that Roanapur's latest shadowy guest would attempt to bring in reinforcements in case negotiations turned hostile. The fact that they were not back yet all but confirmed that the foreign crime lord had, indeed, been bringing his people to the city.

"Will you come away from the window, Rock?" Benny asked, irritated. His unease was likely a combination of the early hour and the extended absence of the others. "You're making me nervous."

"Sorry," Rock apologised, coming in towards the couch and laying down. "I just thought they'd be back by now." All that could be heard was the clicking of Benny's keyboard as he typed vigorously.

"You and me both," he sighed. Rock wasn't sure why he and Benny had decided to stay at the apartment. They were never suited to combat, that much was clear to anyone with eyes. But it wasn't necessarily that which stopped them. Benny, in particular, was enthusiastic at the idea of finding out all he could about Hunter and his operations in Hong Kong. According to Balalaika, the unsettling crime lord had made it clear that he would be sticking around until Usagi was turned over to him. Rock wasn't sure how he felt about that. He did not know Usagi, nor had he had any significant time to bond with her. However, it was clear she had left her home for a reason, presumably to get away from Hunter. Rock was probably the only person who agreed with Wolf when the assassin told them he refused her father's offer. Dutch hadn't said much, but it was obvious he thought that was stupid. Benny, too, had been quiet, though it seemed as though he was more accepting of that decision than Dutch. And, of course, Revy had lost it. The young Chinese girl was already causing more trouble than she had intended. She was not cut out for this. If they could discover what it was she had taken from Hunter that he allegedly wanted back so badly, perhaps they could make a deal with him. That way, the city would be spared any more bloodshed and Usagi could remain here. That idea appealed to Rock. He rose from the couch and started for the door. "You're heading out?" Benny asked, surprised.

"Yeah. I won't be long." The tech wizard narrowed his eyes.

"I've seen that look before," he murmured. "Just don't get into trouble, you hear?"

"I'll try not to." He left the apartment calmly, heading outside and starting towards the other side of town. Even at this hour, the crime and degeneration that Roanapur was so well known for was rampant. Prostitutes lined the streets, cartel members were in plain sight and several armed men were sat on the sidewalk playing cards or beating the snot out of one another. It was just another day in Roanapur. Young children in tattered clothing ran up and down the path, passing Rock several times. They were pickpockets, no doubt. Their futile attempts to steal from him were in vain as Rock had deigned to bring anything with him this morning. He had only one thing on his mind. He did not need his wallet for the conversation he was to have with Usagi. The smell of smoke and sex filled the air this morning wherever Rock went and every building he passed exploded with the sounds of either gunfire or laughter. He was so desensitised to the city at this stage that he did not even take notice when two men spilled out onto the street and began pummelling one another with brass knuckles. Their blood splattered across the sidewalk mere inches from Rock's shoes as he continued on, his eyes on the ground in front of him. His mind was occupied with more pressing matters. Hunter, for example, and whatever threat he was sure to pose. Balalaika hadn't let Lagoon Company know how she was going to proceed. Chang and Ulysses were not keen on simply giving him what he wanted, though the Triad's leader would have no qualms about giving Usagi up if it spared the city. Hotel Moscow was to meet with the Wolf later today regarding the girl and what would become of her. It seemed unlikely that Balalaika would allow the girl to stay, especially given how annoyed she seemed to have been when Dutch told her they transported Usagi here in the first place. Nevertheless, that was a time away yet. Rock continued to stare at the ground as he passed by a diner, a streak of red catching his eye. He turned and peered through the milky glass at the middle-aged man sitting inside, wearing all black except for his scarf. It was like a streak of blood across his throat. Rock had never seen Hunter in person, but he knew that this was the man who had come in pursuit of Usagi. He was sitting alone inside, that was peculiar. However, the four suited men scattered around the diner were most certainly his, there to protect him if he was approached. Instinctually, Rock veered right and went inside, coming to a stop at the doorway as he stared at the back of Hunter's head. He swallowed hard. If the others knew he was here, they would kill him. He could very well do more harm than good. Nevertheless, he walked down along the line of booths, stopping beside the terrifying crime lord. He did not turn to look at Rock, nor did his eyes move from his plate of eggs and bacon.

"You're Rock, right?" he suddenly said, still refusing to take his gaze from his food. Rock cleared his throat and nervously rubbed the back of his head. He supposed he shouldn't have been surprised. It made sense that a criminal as powerful and influential as Hunter would have done his homework by now. Rock did not answer right away and instead took a seat across from this man. The suited bodyguards around the diner turned their heads ever so slightly to get a side view of the encounter in case Rock was here to perform an assassination.

"I didn't think you'd know who I was," Rock told him, straightening up in his seat. "You're Hunter, I assume. I've heard a lot about you."

"Have you, now?" the man asked, finally setting down his fork and looking Rock in the eye. There was a palpable tension in the air that Rock could not begin to think about diffusing for the life of him. Despite the smile on Hunter's face, his very presence sewed discomfort within Rock. "Well, that's not surprising. I didn't think the Russian woman would keep our chat to herself. So, tell me, what brought you in here today, Rock?" That was a question the Japanese man wasn't sure even he could answer. He started his outing today with the intention of speaking with Usagi and discovering what it was she had taken from Hunter. But this situation was far different. And he wasn't sure how to handle it. He attempted to exude confidence, but couldn't help but feel incredibly small sitting across from the man in black.

"I've spoken to Usagi," he began, hoping that he would be able to put his thoughts into a coherent conversation. "She mentioned that her father was after her. The man who I'm guessing works for you. Miss Balalaika also told us she stole something from you, something of great importance."

"Well, well, you ain't just a pretty face, kid," Hunter said gleefully. He clasped his gloved hands in front of him as he eyed Rock carefully. "You're with Lagoon Company, aren't you? I know about you guys. Good crew you got there, Mister Japanese. This city is just the fit for your little gang, isn't it? A festering shithole of crime." He inhaled through his nose and closed his eyes. "Ah, smell that stink. The scent of crime and death. Smells good, doesn't it?" Rock raised his eyebrows but remained silent, curious to see where it was Hunter was going with this conversation. "But you ain't like the others. No, I know by looking at ya. You're their negotiator or something like that, their paperwork boy. The leader…Dutch, right? He's the bossman. That guy with the glasses, I'm guessing he's into the technology side of your business. And the girl, she's a fucking weapon waiting to be unleashed. I've seen her kind time and time again. But you…" He paused to take a slow drink of water, his eyes fixed on Rock the entire time up until he set his glass down with a soft thud. "…you probably ain't cut out for this shit. And yet you're still here, living in this place for who knows how long, now. But I'm guessing you've grown fond of young Usagi. Maybe she reminds you of your ex-girlfriend or something, I don't know. Frankly, I don't really care." He paused, looking out the window and letting the rising sun pierce his brown eyes. "So, tell me, what is it you came in here to say? You want to bargain for her life? You want me to pack up and go home?" Rock tugged at his tie nervously in an attempt to calm himself. Even now, in broad daylight, when he was certain Hunter had no interest in harming him, he could not help but sweat.

"I'm just curious about why you want her at all," Rock said. "Say Balalaika gets whatever it is she stole from you. She gives it back to you and you never have to see Usagi. What then?"

"Well, there's two problems with that, Rocky," the crime lord explained. "First of all, her father still wants her back. He's an employee of mine, but one I'm not willing to just ignore when he tells me he wants his daughter brought home." It almost startled Rock to think that he was considering suggesting that Hunter leave with his returned possession and leave Rahul in Roanapur where he would be dispatched by Hotel Moscow or Wolf. "Secondly, I just can't do that, kid. As much as you want me to. This girl took from me, she stole a possession of mine that could ruin me if it gets into the wrong hands. You're a smart guy, I can tell that much. I can't just let her get away with this."

"I sense there's more to you than meets the eye," Rock continued in one last bid for Usagi's life. Her father's boss was a stubborn man, but one Rock suspected he may be able to sway with his words. "You built your operation from the ground up, isn't that right? You came from America to Hong Kong. The local gangs thought you'd be easy pickings but you showed them who was boss." Hunter actually looked surprised. "The guy with the glasses? Yeah, he's into his tech, alright. You spent years forging your empire, that's no easy thing to do. But it doesn't rely on your employees or even the discipline of those who steal from you. It's down to you alone and the fear you instil in those around you. You're wealthy and powerful, a combination that practically eliminates any risk of your organisation going under. Usagi could disappear tomorrow and it wouldn't make a difference, no matter how badly you feel the need to punish her." Hunter flashed his animalistic smile as he sat back in his seat, looking Rock up and down with curiosity. "So…what if she disappeared? Would it be so bad?" Hunter kept his gaze on the man opposite him for several moments before exploding with laughter. Once he composed himself, he ran his fingers through his slicked back hair.

"I'll tell you what, kid, say I get back what's rightfully mine," he began. "If Balalaika gets what was stolen from me from Usagi, I'll have my men do a search of the apartment she was in when her father showed up the other day. If she isn't there…well, there ain't a damn thing I can do about it, is there?" With one last smile, Hunter rose from the booth and left the diner, his bodyguards following suit. Rock could barely contain his joy at how well he handled that. Perhaps Roanapur would actually be spared more bloodshed after all.


	9. Chapter 9

Chapter 9: Towards the Storm

The apartment was quiet today as Wolf exited his room and emerged into the living room. He was barely awake thirty seconds, wearing only his boxer shorts. Usagi was nowhere in sight. Though she had spent the beginning of her time in the city sleeping on the couch, Wolf had cleared out the spare room he had been using for storage up until that point. Now, his weapons, equipment and belongings littered his bedroom floor. It was an attempt make Usagi feel more comfortable, as was the movement of one of the couches into the room for her to sleep on. It left the living room feeling awfully empty. Though the girl was undoubtedly awake, she did not stir from her room. She spent most of her time in there. Wolf couldn't fathom how she kept herself occupied. Frankly, he didn't care all that much so long as she wasn't doing anything dangerous. Since her father's unexpected arrival the other day and Hunter's growing presence in the city, the assassin had taken it upon himself to see to Usagi's safety. He began his relationship with her apathetically, without any concern for her welfare. She was a hindrance that he could have done without. Now, though, he found himself becoming quite protective of her. She was innocent and defenceless, traits he did not associate with himself but ones he certainly bore less than four years ago, before he had been taken in by Sif. Perhaps that was why he had decided to take care of her now. Regardless, he did not dwell on it. He splashed some water from the sink onto his face in an attempt to wake himself up before donning his usual outfit. Hotel Moscow would be paying him a visit today. That very prospect terrified him. He knew what they were, what they _really_ were. It was not that well-guarded a secret anymore that Balalaika and her employees were the remnants of a darker age in soviet Russia's history. They were all soldiers, well trained and very dangerous. Wolf's own training involved a level of martial arts and combat techniques that only a few select militaries practiced in the world. That made him a formidable weapon, even among assassins. And despite that, he was still utterly terrified of meeting Balalaika. He had seen her once before, during Kane's siege of Roanapur. Even then, they barely spoke if at all. Now, the situation was far different. If this meeting did not go well, Wolf would be branded an enemy of Hotel Moscow, a turn of events that would make his survival almost impossible. He spent the following two hours seated firmly in the centre of the living room, his eyes alternating between the book in his hands and the door to his apartment. Every time someone passed by, his heart skipped a beat. It made him feel incredibly foolish when he realised Balalaika hadn't arrived yet. When she did show, he immediately rose from his seat and laid down the book. He made an attempt to steady his breathing and appear more confident than he was before opening the door. Balalaika raised her eyebrows and gave him a half-smirk.

"I wasn't sure if you would be home," she told him, placing her hands on her hips. There was a military jacket draped over her shoulders that gave her an air of superiority, not that she needed it. Four men accompanied her, also, one of which had a nasty scar across his face. "May we come on in?"

"Yeah, yeah, sure thing," Wolf muttered, just about getting the words out without mispronouncing them out of nervousness. He took a stool from the kitchen and sat on it, offering the comfortable chair he occupied moments before to Balalaika. She thanked him and took her place, crossing her legs and clasping her hands on her lap. This all seemed a bit too formal and polite. Wolf couldn't help but feel this was some façade Hotel Moscow put on to make him feel comfortable before slicing his balls off with a razor.

"I'm sure you know why we're here, Wolf," she began, putting particular disdainful emphasis on his name. "Is the young girl here?" He swallowed anxiously. "Oh, come, now. She's in no immediate danger from us. I was merely curious if she was around, seeing as how she's under your care and all."

"Yeah, she's here," he told her. "In the other room." The four men behind Balalaika eyed the assassin apprehensively. They likely knew who he was and were watching him in case he was stupid or daring enough to attack their boss.

"Very well. Well, let me begin by telling you that this girl stole something from our latest guest. Documents, I'm told. He's asked for them back, naturally, though I'm not sure he'll be content with that. He made it perfectly clear that he wants Usagi turned over to him." She let that sink in for a moment as she produced a cigar and cut off the end of it with her cigar cutter before lighting it. Her polite smile faded as she took a drag. "Let me be clear about this, her presence in the city complicates things greatly. Hunter has made a few thinly veiled threats in an attempt to coerce us into cooperation. I can't stress enough that the girl is responsible for our current predicament." Wolf nodded.

"I get that," he agreed. "Can't be easy dealing with him after he just shows up and starts bossing you around. The only reason he's here is because of her." Balalaika smiled again.

"I'm glad you understand," she said. "We're meeting him at the port tomorrow. I'd appreciate it if you and the girl were there. Nine A.M. sharp." Wolf frowned. That was as good as confirmation that Hotel Moscow were going to give Hunter what he wanted. It would certainly spare the city any trouble, but Usagi would be forced back into a life she was not content with. The assassin wasn't sure how he felt about that. Nonetheless, he was not prepared to trifle with Hotel Moscow.

"I'll be there," he complied. "Both of us will be." Balalaika rose gleefully and headed for the door.

"Pleased to hear it, Wolf." She took her cigar from her mouth and opened the door slightly, ushering her people out. Once they were outside, she turned to the assassin again. "I feel obligated to tell you that it's come to our attention that Hunter has been in contact with two contract killers in the past twenty-four hours. I've sent their files to Lagoon Company should you be in contact with them. I have a feeling one of them may be of interest to you." She winked at him before exiting the apartment and shutting the door. Wolf sighed before the sound of footsteps behind him reached his ears. He turned around. Usagi was there in her usual attire, looking as anxious as ever.

"She reminds me of some of my father's employees," she murmured.

"You heard everything, didn't you?"

"Most of it," she admitted. Wolf rolled his eyes, smirking involuntarily at the inquisitive girl. His expression turned serious, then, as he sat her down in the armchair and came to his knees before her.

"Usagi, I'm not going to lie to you, I don't know what's going to go down tomorrow. From the sounds of things, Balalaika is going to give you back to Hunter. If that happens…well, there's not a damn thing I can do about it. But you've been holding out on me for too long. I need to know everything- _everything-_ about Hunter and his operations. Then, maybe…there might be a chance I could help you." Usagi did look more hopeful at that. It was possible, and very likely, that she was ashamed for having kept so much information from the assassin since he was the one keeping her alive and safe. She sighed and closed her eyes solemnly.

"Alright," she conceded. "You're right. You need to know about him. If not for my sake, for your own." She rose and went to the window. "Hunter Woods. He's a very dangerous man, that much you know. He came to Hong Kong years ago, when I was very young. My father had always been involved with the wrong crowds. He lived every day with the risk of being gunned down. Hunter stopped that. He brought with him enough money and resources to build a small army. He came to my father, showed him how powerful he really was. In a matter of weeks, fifty percent of the city's gangs had been wiped out or submitted to Hunter. After that, my father did not have a choice. He was an employee of Hunter from then on. He calls his organisation the Dead Men. And they've grown a lot since Hunter formed them. I fear they are as expansive and dangerous as this Hotel Moscow by now." She turned to face the Wolf for the first time since she had started talking then. "I stole documents from him when I left. He trusted my father with them. That was…an oversight on his part. Then again, he couldn't have known I was going to leave. It's a portfolio of four or five different files."

"Files on what?"

"I'm not sure," she croaked. "I've never read them. I gathered that they contain information on rival organisations or companies Hunter wishes to compete with. For that reason alone, I took them. In some foolish attempt to hurt his operation. I thought if I did enough damage, the Dead Men might disband. That way…"

"Your father would be free," Wolf surmised. Usagi nodded sadly. The assassin processed this information in his head. It was a lot, but it made sense to him.

"Alright," he breathed, coming to his feet and joining the girl by the window. "Like I said, I can't make any promises. But if this doesn't go how we hope tomorrow…if Balalaika gives you up, I can try and come after you. If I pull this off, nobody will ever know it was me that killed Hunter. That way, you might have an opportunity to start your life again."

"You won't take me back here?" Usagi blurted out before closing her eyes and silently scolding herself for how selfish and forward she must have sounded.

"I didn't think you liked it here," Wolf told her, laughing. She smiled despite her blushing cheeks.

"It's not so bad," she lied. "But thank you. That's a kindness not many would offer me. If you succeed, my father and I might have a genuine chance to start our lives over."

"You really miss him, huh?" Usagi nodded, a smile that reeked of tragedy showing across her face.

"Every day. Before I came here, he was barely around. And when he did show up, he was…distant. Cold. He hasn't been the same man for a long time. I always hoped that perhaps one day, he would turn his life around and just be my father again. But Hunter showed up and made sure that could never happen." That dark glint in her eye, the edge in her voice, her increased breathing, all were signs of the intense hatred Usagi bore for Hunter. Before, she had been rightly terrified of the prolific crime lord. He was more of an entity than a person, a dark creature who came into her life and destroyed what little relationship she had with her father. Now, she was more confident and secure. Wolf's presence had greatly reassured her that she would be alright, his willingness to help her when nobody else would giving her hope that she might actually come out of this okay. She was far more grateful for his friendship than he knew. Even to characterise it as such struck her as odd. He certainly did not seem like the type to make friends beyond the slew of killers that already counted themselves among that small group. But nevertheless, she would not let him go. He was her last chance for a proper life.


	10. Chapter 10

Chapter 10: Calm Down

"So, this is your room." The voice was Wolf's. Revy groaned, hoping that she was still asleep. The sound of the assassin clearing his throat threw that idea out the window. If her usual sleep schedule was anything to go by, it was probably after midday. Wolf cleared his throat again, provoking a second annoyed groan from the barely conscious Revy. When she did not move, he leaned one arm on her and opened the drapes with the other. The light would have blinded her if her eyes were open. "Come on, sleepyhead. We've got shit to do." He started towards the door, halting to see if she would rise. She didn't exactly have many options.

"Goddammit," she grumbled, sitting up in her bed and looking around the room for her shorts. "Did Dutch send you in here to get me up?"

"Yup," Wolf answered. "He wants to talk about this shit with Hunter. Up and at 'em, Rev." Despite the animosity and tension that existed between the two less than two days ago, the assassin was clearly doing his best to ignore their spat at his apartment. Honestly, Revy neither had the energy or the motivation to remain angry at him, which was remarkable on her part. What was done couldn't be undone at this point. All they could do now was try and rectify the situation with Hunter. Revy snatched up her shorts and slipped them on, clumsily buckling her belt with one hand and wiping her eyes with the other. "Hotel Moscow paid me a visit this morning. Balalaika is fucking scary."

"You said it. What did she want?" Revy asked as her body did its best to function properly after what was easily twelve straight hours of lying in the same position on an uncomfortable bed.

"That's sort of why I'm here," he told her as she rose from the bed and holstered the Cutlasses that had been strewn across the floor. "Come on. Dutch is going to run us through it." They went to the living room of Lagoon Company's apartment where Dutch, Rock and Benny were gathered. The blonde was currently sifting through two files, the files Wolf assumed Balalaika had dropped off. He was curious to read them, given Hotel Moscow's parting words earlier today.

"So, why'd ya get me up, Dutch?" Revy asked, leaning against the far wall. Dutch looked at Benny and nodded.

"Balalaika dropped off these files a while ago," the blonde began. "She tells us that Hunter has been in contact with two assassins outside of the country. She thinks he'll be sending for them if he doesn't get Usagi." He opened the first file and laid it down on the table for all of them to see. The picture was black and white but it was almost impossible not to see that the strong-jawed man in it was Native American. His thick black hair was swept back behind his ears and he wore a black beanie on his head. There was also military paint across his face. He was smiling openly at the camera. There were two pages of writing about him, but Benny was quick to start talking once he realised none of the others were bothered reading it all. "His name is Black Bear. Or at least that's what he calls himself. Pretty dangerous guy. Rumour has it he's been involved in the assassinations of senators and politicians across America for years. If my information is right, he's been one of Hunter's 'go-to' hitmen whenever he needs somebody taken out."

"Looks like a pussy to me," Revy growled. Wolf did not recognise this man, nor did anything about his file strike him as odd. He assumed Balalaika had been referring to the next assassin when she told Wolf that he would be interested to see what the file contained. Benny opened it and set it down on top of the other one. The woman in this picture had the bottom half of her face covered by a military face-wrap, but even in the black and white colouring it was easy to see that her eyes were presumably blue and her hair was blonde.

"This one is weird, even for her line of work," Benny went on. "Goes by the name Andromeda. She's a hardass. Dropped off the face of the Earth two years ago, but Balalaika seems to think that at least fifty assassinations that took place in Asia during that time are her doing. She's a favourite of Hunter's." Dutch whistled.

"Sounds like we'll have our work cut out for us if Hunter calls these guys," he said cryptically.

"That's not even the worst part," Benny continued, turning his eyes towards Wolf. "She was trained by Sif. For about a year before she went missing. Seems she was going to be a member of Wolf Pack." They were silent for a few moments as they waited for the assassin to weigh in.

"Well, shit," he sighed. "That's great. So how dangerous is she, exactly?"

"Considering she was probably the only person Sif gave her full attention to other than you, I'm guessing pretty damn dangerous," Benny told him. That was troubling news. Wolf had been convinced that during his time under Sif, he was the only 'prototype' for her new Wolf Pack. She trained him vigorously day after day in an attempt to turn him into a weapon she would use to commandeer the possessions of rival organisations. But from the sounds of things, this Andromeda was just like him. He knew Sif had taken on more than one personal protégé but he always assumed the rest had dropped out of the training program or hadn't been as skilled as him. Andromeda's existence proved that theory wrong.

"I'm assuming we won't want to tangle with her," Dutch piped up then.

"Nope," Benny agreed, snatching up the files and setting them down neatly beside his laptop. "On a scale from Rock to Bloodhound, she's about an eight." Rock almost looked offended before realising he had no argument. Of basically all of Roanapur's people, he was the least skilled in combat. Even Benny looked like he'd put up more of a fight.

"We're meeting Balalaika at the port tomorrow," Dutch told them then. "That's where we'll meet with Hunter. She tell you to bring the girl?" The question was directed at Wolf.

"Yeah," he answered. "I assume she's giving her to Hunter." Rock shifted his weight awkwardly. He and Wolf were probably the only two that actually cared what happened to Usagi. The rest of Lagoon Company were happy to go along with Hotel Moscow if it meant getting Hunter to leave the city. His presence made them feel uneasy. While he hadn't made any overtly aggressive moves so far, the fact that he had even been in contact with these two assassins meant that he was fully prepared to go to war. The boat of his people Revy wiped out on the water, too, was evidence of his willingness and preparedness to fight. They were eager to see him leave Roanapur before he got wind of that.

"So, where do I fall in on this scale of yours, Benny?" Wolf asked with a coy smile. Benny fake-laughed nervously, his eyes darting from side to side.

"You're…about a seven." The assassin's smile disappeared instantly. "Seven and a half, maybe." His eyebrows fell and he glared at the blonde intently.

"Dude!" he yelled, hurt. Revy couldn't have looked more pleased.

"Hah! Don't look too down, Wolfy. Some of us are just more cut out for killing than others." The smile she bore from ear to ear lasted for mere seconds as Benny spoke up once more.

"Actually, you're about the same, Revy," he told her, fear evident in his face. Revy took a step forward, folding her arms.

"WHAT?!" she screamed, her voice like a razor as it sliced through the air.

"How do you figure that?!" Wolf asked, clearly insulted that someone who hadn't had nearly the level of training that he had was considered an equal killer. Benny couldn't have looked more uncomfortable by the second. Dutch and Rock made no attempt to ease his anxiety, smiling openly at the situation that was unfolding.

"We-well, um, it's like this," the American began, adjusting his glasses. "Wolf is better at hand to hand stuff, you know? Like martial arts level shit. But you're better with guns and firearms. That makes you two pretty evenly matched, in my mind." Again, he laughed nervously in an attempt to diffuse the tension.

"You're full of shit, Benny!" Revy spat at him. He sighed, glancing towards Dutch who simply shook his head.

"Don't look at me, Benny-Boy," he told him. "You got yourself into this mess."

"How about you, Dutch?" Rock asked. "Don't you want to know?"

"Nope," the big man replied. "I don't need a number to make me feel good about myself." That put the other two to shame as they hung their heads and looked around the room.

"Well, with my pride thoroughly torn asunder, I think I'll be off," Wolf told them going to the door.

"Didn't think you'd leave the girl alone," Dutch told him as he opened the door.

"Nah, she's with Lucille," he answered as a grin appeared on his lips. "Someone I'm guessing is a firm nine on Benny's scale."

"I'd go as far to put her on par with the maid," Benny told them. Wolf left the apartment laughing. Revy fell onto the couch face first then.

"Is Miss Balalaika really going to give up Usagi tomorrow?" Rock asked as he retrieved a beer from the fridge and sat down across from Revy.

"I assume so," Dutch told him. "It's her best option at this point. The girl should've been turned over to him when her dad came looking for her." Rock was silent, but his expression was contemplative. "What's on your mind, Rock?"

"It's just not like Balalaika," he claimed. "If past experience is anything to go by, Hotel Moscow doesn't just roll over and submit to the demands of its enemies. They've always dealt with potential rival organisations aggressively. It's just strange, is all."

"Well, it's a strange situation," Dutch explained. "Can't say anything like this has ever happened before. These Dead Men aren't exactly waging war. They want the girl, that's a simple enough request. If that's what it takes to get them out of Roanapur, I can see Balalaika going through with it." Rock supposed that was true, but his face told them all he was not convinced.

"Don't know what you're getting your panties in a twist for," Revy told him. "This shit will all be sorted out tomorrow. After that, we can go back to normal."

"Right," Dutch agreed. "One last job and Hunter goes back home, end of story. Then it's back to the grind, boys and girls." As simple as they made it sound, Rock couldn't help but feel like there was more to come. In Roanapur, nothing ever went as planned, less so when the Wolf was involved. In Rock's mind, one of three things would happen tomorrow; firstly, Hunter would take Usagi and have his people turn on Hotel Moscow anyway either out of spite or to punish them for harbouring the girl for this long. Secondly, Wolf would be stupid enough to refuse to give Usagi up and that would start a bloodbath between the Dead Men and Roanapur's leaders. Or thirdly, and least likely, everything would go as planned and they would never see Hunter again. Rock was not content to see Usagi go. He was growing fond of her, that much was obvious to him. He would not interfere if she was turned over to the Dead Men, but he would be upset at her departure. She did not deserve the life Hotel Moscow were condemning her to. Whatever happened tomorrow, Rock would be in a dark place for the following few days.


	11. Chapter 11

Chapter 11: Dead Men

Wolf pulled up in his Mustang just a minute before nine, coming to a stop mere feet from where Balalaika was standing. He exited with Usagi and joined Lagoon Company behind her. Hotel Moscow's soldiers lined the rooftops and storage containers that surrounded the open space they were currently standing in. They could hear the waves of the ocean to their left behind the row of boathouses.

"Right on time," Balalaika praised the assassin, her eyes going to the girl. "Don't fret, this shan't take long." What struck Rock as odd was the fact that her soldiers were in plain sight, armed to the teeth. It was possible they were just for show, to let Hunter know that if he tried anything he was dead. But again, the whole situation did not sit right with him. He suspected there was a lot more to come than what they knew. As soon as Hunter's car appeared at the far entrance to the port, the soldiers all dropped down to lie flat on their stomachs. Most of them held sniper rifles. Boris was close behind Balalaika, a radio in his hand. Hunter's armoured grey Dodge Challenger came to a stop, followed closely by three silver jeeps. Each vehicle was packed full of his people, still wearing their blue suits. Only Hunter and Rahul emerged, confidence oozing from them with every step they took. Hunter halted about ten feet from Balalaika. He did not carry any weapon openly, though his large overcoat no doubt hid the firepower he did possess. He flashed that wicked smile, looking around him with disinterest. He had seen the soldiers ready to fire if anything went wrong. From the looks of things, his own people were armed, too. If their jeeps were armoured, they would make short work of Hotel Moscow in the event of this deal going south.

"Hell of a setup you got, Balalaika," he told her, gesturing to her people with his head. "And this port ain't exactly the prettiest place in the city. But, hell, I'm not one to shy away when a gorgeous woman such as yourself asks me to meet her, right?" Balalaika smirked.

"Flattering," she told him, an edge to her voice. "I'm pleased you could make it." Hunter furrowed his brow as he glanced around the area.

"What happened to the guy with the dreadlocks and the Chinese dude?" It was only now that Rock realised the Triad and the Formation were nowhere to be seen. They had as much of a stake in this meeting as Balalaika and yet it looked like they had trusted her with this while they remained in the city. That was unorthodox, given the gravity of the situation.

"They won't be joining us," Balalaika told him curtly. "They deemed it necessary that only one of us be here to oversee negotiations. I hope that's alright." Hunter laughed.

"That's fine by me," he told her, turning ever so slightly to glance momentarily at Rahul, who was beginning to look apprehensive of this whole encounter. "So…where do we begin?" His eyes went to Usagi then. "Ah! There's the girl. How are you, sweetheart? I trust these people weren't too inhospitable, were they?" Usagi looked at the ground nervously. Even now, there was fear in her eyes. Considering she was about to be turned over to the Dead Men, she would need to be on her best behaviour.

"No," she answered just loud enough so he could hear. "No, they were very nice, Sir."

"That's what I like to hear," Hunter told her. His gaze returned to Balalaika. "Shall we make this short and sweet, then?" Balalaika turned to Usagi and smiled menacingly.

"Such a sweet young thing," she mumbled half to herself. "Come here, darling." Surprised, Usagi did as she was told and went to Balalaika. Hotel Moscow's boss placed an affectionate arm around her. "My, my, you've certainly been through a lot these last few days, haven't you? So sad to see it weighing on you, my dear." Usagi managed a weak smile at that. It was obvious she was uncomfortable. Her eyes remained on the infinitely intimidating blonde Russian before gradually moving to the terrifying Hunter, his arm outstretched to take her hand when she was turned over to him. "Go on, then," Balalaika commanded. Usagi hesitantly started towards Hunter, the Russian's arm still lingering on her shoulder. She took on step, then two. It felt like she was walking to the hangman's noose, which it was very possible she was. As she started to move a bit faster, she felt something tug at her sleeveless turtleneck. She turned her head to see Balalaika's hand had tightened around the red fabric. Unsure of what to do, she went back towards Balalaika and came to a stop, a confused look on her face. Hunter's smile had now disappeared and his arm had returned to his side. His men were looking around the area for signs of trouble, but Hunter knew that trouble had already found them in the form of the ten or so soldiers lining the buildings and containers around them. He swallowed hard at the realisation. Balalaika smiled once she noticed his discomfort. "My, my, you certainly are a frightening man, Hunter," she told him. "Your 'Dead Men' are a force to be reckoned with, by the looks of things. They're comprised of old gangs and former mafia enforcers, am I right?" Hunter squinted in confusion.

"That's about right," he answered, forcing an artificial smile in an attempt to appear domineering. That attempt failed as Balalaika went on.

"My men are soldiers, Hunter," she told him. "The best of the best. Looks like someone didn't do their homework." Hunter looked around him, fear practically leaking from every pore on his body. Balalaika turned to Boris. "Sergeant, give the order."

"Of course, Kapitan," he answered, bringing the radio to his mouth and pressing in on the side with his thumb. "Do it." Within seconds, Chang, Ulysses, Shenhua, Sawyer the Cleaner, Lotton the Wizard and several miscellaneous soldiers from both the Triad and the Formation had shown themselves atop the two abandoned shacks to Hunter's right and left.

"A bounty has been placed on your head. Let this serve as a message," Balalaika went on as Hunter tried and failed to comprehend how he had been so easily betrayed. He slowly edged nearer and nearer to the door of his Dodge as Balalaika spoke in an attempt to get inside where he would presumably be safe. "A message to your Dead Men and anyone who would follow in your footsteps. You came to our city and made your demands, as if you had the right to do so. You're not on your home turf anymore, Mister Woods. In Hong Kong, your status might matter. The local gangs and degenerates there might actually bow to your every will. But here, you are nothing. An insignificant insect that needs to be squashed." As she finished speaking, the numerous killers in the area began cocking their weapons as they prepared to gun down the Dead Men. Hunter wasted no time. Within a second, both he and Rahul were back in the Dodge, doing a 180 degree turn. The back of his car was riddled with bullets that could not make it through to the inside. After a few moments of futile shooting and panicking on Hunter's part, the Dead Men were gone. Usagi was left utterly bewildered by this display, having dropped to her knees with both hands placed over her mouth. This was likely more as a result of the fact that her father had nearly been killed than anything else. She did not bear any love for the rest of the Dead Men. Balalaika looked at her with a mix of curiosity and condescension. "Oh, don't be like that, dear," she urged the girl. "There was no other way this was going to end. Back on your feet." With that, she turned to Lagoon Company. Revy was almost as shocked as Usagi, her eyes wide and her arms outstretched as she looked up at Shenhua. Wolf, too, was rendered catatonic by this display, his face pale and his eyes unfocused as though he had just been injected with heroin. "My, my, did none of you suspect we would not tolerate Hunter's presence?" Of course they didn't. Even Dutch who was normally stoic and stone-faced, now looked almost disturbed by what had happened. He had no idea of what Roanapur's leaders were planning. His eyes went to Chang and Ulysses. They were clearly in on this too. Chang would not have gone along with this plan immediately. It was all too likely that Balalaika had to convince him to agree to this, seeing as it would lead to more risk of death and unrest in the city. Ulysses was probably enthusiastic about the idea of sparing Usagi the fate of going back to Hong Kong to live under the tyranny of Hunter. Balalaika left the area along with her people. Chang and Ulysses were close behind, followed by the three bounty hunters that Revy recognised all too well. She knew they would be back. Today, they had shown to scare Hunter and to take a shot at killing him. But with a bounty on his head, presumably large seeing as Hotel Moscow put it there, the three killers would be back to attempt to finish the job.

"Well, looks like ya got your wish, Wolfy," Revy muttered. Seeing as how Usagi could presumably stay in Roanapur now, it certainly seemed that way. But they couldn't help but feel like things were worse now. Hunter would still be coming for Usagi, only now he would use brute force and aggression to take out the three ruling factions first. The two assassins Benny briefed them about would be along shortly, too. That piqued something in Wolf, a misplaced desire to speak with Andromeda. He had questions for her, a need for some closure regarding Sif and Wolf Pack.

"Is she going to be okay?" Rock asked, gesturing to Usagi who was still on her knees. Wolf shrugged his shoulders, unsure of how to proceed now. It almost seemed like an injustice. Had Balalaika given the girl to Hunter, prompting him to leave, Wolf would have followed and taken out the organisation, freeing Usagi. That would have spared the city the carnage it would inevitably see in the following weeks. What was more, Hunter told Rock that he would leave without Usagi if he got his documents. This meeting sort of prevented that from happening, but Rock still hoped to speak to Hunter at the pier before he left for Hong Kong in an attempt to make him follow through with his side of the bargain. All of that was lost now.

"I don't know," Wolf answered honestly. "The whole thing seems so fucked now."

"Goddammit," Revy growled. "How the fuck did we end up in this shit?"

"Well, look on the bright side," Dutch told them hopefully, "whoever takes this guy out is gonna cash out big time." Revy couldn't help but smile at that.

"You really know the way to my heart, Dutchy," she told him. The rest of them cleared out of the area until only Wolf, Rock and Usagi remained.

"That was unexpected," Rock said. The assassin gave him a look that suggested that was a ridiculous statement.

"Unexpected doesn't even describe what that was," he joked. After a few seconds, Usagi finally rose and turned to face the two men.

"I really thought she was going to give me up," she croaked in her hoarse voice, looking around her lazily. "I'm glad she didn't." It was clear she was still bothered by what had happened. Despite her fear of Hunter and her desire to stay away from him, she still had some twisted, irrepressible desire to see her father again. Regardless of her abandonment of him and his organisation, he was still her father and she still loved him. This had not been easy for her.


	12. Chapter 12

Chapter 12: Concrete Jungle

Wolf holstered his Desert Eagle and went to the door. He was tempted to call Lucille. The former soldier wasn't doing much these days. She was always up for watching Usagi anytime the assassin left the apartment. But he wouldn't be long. She would be fine by herself for less than half an hour.

"You okay here by yourself?" he asked her, pulling on his gloves. She looked up from the book she had been reading with a mix of curiosity and concern. It had only been two days since Hunter had been shown who was really in charge in Roanapur. According to Chang's intelligence, the foreign crime boss had sent for the two assassins. They were very likely already in the city at this time. Wolf would have to be careful. That was also part of the reason he was leaving the apartment.

"You won't be long?" Usagi asked, absolutely failing to hide her fear. She was always an innocent, defenceless girl, made even more vulnerable by the events in the port.

"I'll be back in less than an hour," he told her, grabbing the backpack of money. The Rip-Off Church apparently had his MP5 ready. Eda made no attempt to act like she had any interest in acquiring the weapon, but it had been ordered at last. If these assassins were as dangerous as Benny claimed, Wolf would need more firepower than he currently had. He nodded at Usagi and left then, getting into his Mustang and starting towards the church. As anxious as he was to arm up and defend the city from Hunter, he was more eager to meet Andromeda. Only three days ago, he was oblivious to her existence, certain that he was the last relic of the now extinct Wolf Pack. That all changed when he heard Benny's evaluation of the mysterious killer. What interested him more was how similar her situation had been to his own. Both of them had been taken in by Sif, trained attentively by her and groomed to be one of her personal enforcers in impoverished countries. He had many questions for her. He just hoped that his desire to speak with her would not blind him and dull his senses. That would cause more harm that the city could not afford. He pulled up outside the Rip-Off Church and exited his car. Eda was directing two men towards the sheds to the side, large sacks of presumably weapons or drugs in their arms. Wolf did not pay them too much attention. The blonde turned to face him.

"There you are," she exclaimed enthusiastically. "Come for your gun, I presume?" He nodded. "Such a shame. Why don't you visit more often?"

"Because I'm never that hard up," he hissed with a smirk. Eda scoffed before leading him around the back and in to where Sister Yolanda was sitting , sipping a cup of tea. She set it down as he entered.

"Ah, good to see you again, young man," she greeted him. Over the last six months or so, Wolf had been coming to the Rip-Off Church for his ammunition supply. Seeing as Yolanda used the same weapon as him, she was happy enough to oblige. That, and he had no idea where else he could get ammo from. Despite how long he had been in the city, he had shockingly little knowledge of its amenities and services.

"How're things?" he asked, snatching up the MP5 from the table and ejecting the magazine. The weapon was brand new, in pristine condition and ready for action. The Rip-Off Church always delivered the best quality equipment. The smell of the weapon was almost intoxicating, that refined mix of steel and gunpowder.

"Oh, you know how it is," Yolanda told him, her eyes on the weapon all the while. Even after six months, she still watched him like a hawk. He supposed that was only smart. "Business is booming anytime someone shows up in the city with an agenda. I've had seventeen orders for assault rifles and grenade launchers in the last week. Cartels, mostly."

"People are preparing for a goddamn war," Eda grumbled, folding her arms. Once Wolf was satisfied with the weapon, he slung it over his shoulder and dropped the bag of cash down beside Yolanda. Eda opened it and searched through it to make sure the right amount was there.

"Come on, girls, surely you trust me by now," the assassin moaned, mock offense in his voice.

"Yeah, well, don't expect us to change anytime soon," Eda snapped, zipping up the bag once she was happy and setting it down by her feet. The doors to the side opened then and a young boy walked in examining the magazine of what Wolf assumed was a very large gun. The man couldn't have been older than twenty.

"Sis, where did you put the rest of the-," he trailed off upon noticing the assassin. A disturbingly inquisitive smile crept across his face and he set the magazine down, immediately coming up to the Wolf. "Oh, man! You're the assassin, right? The dude who killed Kane?"

"Rico, knock it off!" Eda scolded him. The boy did no such thing.

"Who's the pre-schooler?" Wolf asked, pointing to Rico with his thumb as he folded his arms. He couldn't help but be amused by this display.

"Can I see your gun?" Wolf recoiled as if Rico brought with him the most unpleasant smell imaginable before sending a confused glance towards Eda. The nun just rolled her eyes and shrugged before the assassin finally gave in and handed Rico his Desert Eagle.

"It's the same one Yolanda uses, but whatever," he muttered, his eyes going to the golden gun holstered beneath Yolanda's arm. It was a gorgeous weapon, one Wolf was secretly jealous of.

"Man, this thing is kick-ass!" Rico exclaimed, extending his arm and looking down the sights of the gun.

"Rico, stop harassing the customers!" Eda spat once more. Yolanda simply laughed at the situation unfolding before her.

"How many guys did you kill with this thing?" Rico asked, prompting Wolf to snatch the weapon from his grasp and holster it again.

"I'm gonna leave before he starts rubbing his dick on my gun," he told them. "Thanks for the gun, Yolanda. Eda, always a pleasure." He turned to Rico, then, and narrowed his eyes before grinning. "Rico…be seeing ya." He waved at them then before leaving and getting into his car, setting the MP5 down on the passenger seat. Thoroughly taken aback by that encounter, he started the engine and took off towards home. Despite the fact that he had only been gone for less than fifteen minutes, he still felt anxious about Usagi. The girl was alone during a time when she was at her most vulnerable and uncomfortable. She needed protection now more than ever. Perhaps he should have called Lucille. Still, he was overreacting. As soon as he returned home, he could see to her protection. Despite how content he was to be her bodyguard, he couldn't help but feel it was alienating him from the other residents of Roanapur. He had always gotten on quite well with Lagoon Company, and even Lucille had confided in him on numerous occasions. Now, he saw none of them that often unless it was absolutely necessary. It was a strange and harrowing turn of events. He came to a stop at traffic lights just five minutes from his apartment. The neon lights and smoke from local brothels and strip clubs washed over his car, bathing it in the stink and corruption of this city. It almost baffled Wolf to think he had been here for over a year. He certainly had no intention of being here that long. When he came here first, it was an attempt to get away from Wolf Pack's agents who had been hunting him. He had heard about Roanapur, rumours and whisperings that spoke of how it was the one place a criminal could disappear and never be found again. How unfortunate that Sif tracked him there anyway. Nevertheless, he was glad how his life turned out, for the most part. Before he came here, he was a solitary assassin who had few contacts and fewer friends. It was a lonely existence, one he was too proud and anti-vulnerable to admit to. Now, there were like-minded, similarly-motivated individuals who he could safely count among his friends. That was a drastic change he never would have considered. But he needed to focus. This city was unforgiving and it never failed to deliver its share of problems. Now, it had Hunter and the Dead Men to deal with. As soon as the traffic lights went green, he stepped on the accelerator and started off towards home. The street he turned on to was completely desolate. There was not a car in sight, nor were there any signs of life coming from the surrounding buildings. The noise reached his ears first, that tell-tale screech, before he saw the orange cloud until finally the Mustang was toppled onto its side. It was a miracle he was still awake as he reached for the MP5 and unsteadily climbed from the car, coming to his feet immediately. The smoke from the impact surrounded him. He uncertainly navigated his way through it, coming out onto the centre of the road. The air was clearer here. He looked to the end of the street, the source of the explosion. Andromeda held a grenade launcher in her hands. It couldn't have been anyone else. She dropped the weapon. That was a bold move, even for her. Her entire body was covered in khaki military fatigues and a face wrap covered her head from the nose down. She started towards Wolf. He could have shot her down. The MP5 was in his hand, fully loaded. His finger was on the trigger, its cold metal evident even through the wool of his glove. But he couldn't do it. As much as he wanted to, he needed to keep her alive, even just for a moment. Considering she had not reached for her holstered Beretta yet, he assumed she had no desire to kill him yet either. Otherwise, the grenade would have plunged into the side of the Mustang instead of the road in front of it. The woman came to a stop a few feet from Wolf, removing her face wrap. He did not recognise her face like he suspected he might. She was very pretty, but it was obvious from her expression that she had seen and done more inhumane things than most in this city. Her eyes were a deep blue and her hair was the same shade of blonde as Sif's. That put Wolf on edge a bit.

"I suppose you're wondering why I'm here," she began. Her voice was soft and gentle, but with a subtle edge to it that instantly let others know she had the potential to be very aggressive. She had an American accent, too, again similar to Sif's.

"Not really," Wolf answered, lowering his gun. "I know Hunter sent for you. And that other fucker. Where is this Black Bear, by the way?"

"I think it's better if I ask the questions," she asserted, coming closer to him. "I need to know where it is this city's leaders make their homes. You wouldn't believe how hard it is to pin them down. But I know you were there when Hotel Moscow betrayed Hunter. And I know you're the one protecting Usagi. So I need you to tell me where I can find my targets."

"I'm not telling you shit," Wolf growled. He hesitated for a moment as she looked like she was about to attack him. "You don't know who I am, do you?" She faltered at that, a look of confusion on her face.

"Should I?" she asked, relaxing her stance.

"The name Sif ring any bells?" Andromeda's eyes widened as soon as she heard the name, clearly surprised by this. There were few who knew of Sif's existence who hadn't encountered her personally. "I thought it might."

"How did you-?!"

"Let's just say I'm the one that got away," Wolf told her. "I assume you have questions." He walked past her then, heading back towards his apartment. He trusted his tease had been enough to stay her hand. "You know where I live?" he called back over his shoulder. "Even if you don't, you'll find it if you're as good as they say." He left her to think about that as he turned the corner and broke into a jog towards home. As furious as he was about his car, he needed to get home immediately. Andromeda's appearance had frightened him, despite how calm he had been. He was instantly worried about Usagi. The two assassins who now resided in the city were not agents of Hunter, they were contract killers, hired to assassinate the city's leaders. That meant Usagi was mostly safe from harm. But it did not eliminate the danger of Hunter's Dead Men kidnapping her. Wolf rushed to the door of his apartment, halting in case his urgency frightened Usagi inside. There were no signs of forced entry, that was reassuring. He rested his hand on the handle of his Desert Eagle just to be safe as he gently opened the door. Nothing seemed amiss when he walked in and closed the door behind him. As soon as he spotted Usagi sitting against the far wall, he sighed with relief and relaxed. She did not need to know about what had happened with Andromeda, that would only frighten her. He would tell her eventually, but now she needed the reassurance of being protected.

"Hey, what's say we order a pizza tonight?" he asked her, coming further into the room. His foot hit off of something on the ground. It was the book the girl had been reading before Wolf left, now open on the ground with several pages torn out. Wolf's eyes immediately shot up to look at Usagi as he came forward and her full form came into view. The sight shocked him to his core as all colour drained from his face. She was curled up into a ball in the corner, her black hair dishevelled and only her torn turtleneck covering her shivering, naked body. The disturbed cries and whimpers she was emitting would reduce the strongest men to tears.


	13. Chapter 13

Chapter 13: From the Shadows to Here

Lagoon Company retired to the Yellowflag that night, needless to say. The bar itself was bustling with activity, full to the brim with familiar faces and miscellaneous killers. There would be fighting tonight. Revy was subdued. When Wolf rang to tell them what had happened yesterday, all sound seemed to die out and her mind ceased to function properly. None of the others seemed to notice. Either that or they just knew better than to ask her what was wrong. Rock would pry eventually, like he always did. That would be an interesting encounter.

"Fill her up," Revy commanded as Bao passed by. He shot her an uncertain glance, seeing as how she had already downed nine glasses of rum. She could feel that fuzziness behind her eyes as the alcohol began to take effect. "You got a fucking problem there, Bao?! I told ya to give me a refill." Bao did not argue, he wasn't stupid or bothered enough to do so. Instead, he snatched up the bottle and poured the rest of it into her glass.

"Relax, Revy," he suggested. "Just concerned you won't be able to walk home tonight."

"She's a big girl," Dutch told him. "Besides, if past experience is anything to go by, her arm will be around one of our shoulders tonight anyway." She didn't laugh at that, opting to sip her newly refilled drink instead. Dutch wasn't stupid and he knew Revy better than most. He more than likely sensed that something was wrong. But he made no attempt to find out what. Instead, he focused on his own drink and turned towards Benny at the other side of the bar. Revy was left to her own devices, now. Rock was not with them. He had gone to Wolf's apartment to see Usagi. Revy wasn't sure how she felt about that. Deep down, she probably would have preferred if he was here with her right now. But she would never admit it, just like she would never admit that there was actually a faint speck of empathy for Usagi deep down inside her. The Chinese girl's experience resonated with Revy in ways she tried and failed to ignore. Her past was rife with tragedy and trauma that she shared with nobody, not even Rock. As far as she knew, only Wolf and Lucille knew what had happened to her before she came to Roanapur and even they did not know everything. It pissed her off to no end that they had any knowledge of what she had been through. The fact that Wolf never brought it up, however, was something she was almost grateful for. She saw him more than she saw Eda and he never once pried into her past. _I was there,_ he had said to her about Sif's military base, about the man who would have made Revy relive her past trauma. _I don't need to ask about it._ She almost wanted to see him now, after what had happened with Usagi. But he was nowhere around. After he called Rock to let them know what happened, he stopped answering their calls. He would not show tonight. "Figures," Revy mumbled under her breath. She could practically feel the alcohol coursing through her veins as she sat there at the dimly lit bar, the light bouncing off her glass as she lifted it to her lips to take another sip. It burned as it went down her throat. She did not hear the footsteps behind her. Rock took a seat beside her, his face pale. That was to be expected, seeing as how he had just come from Wolf's apartment. Revy took a few moments to react to his presence.

"I'm not sure what to think of what just happened," he murmured, apparently expecting some response. Revy didn't say a word, nor did she even look at him. He cleared his throat awkwardly. "I saw Usagi. That was…rough. She was in pieces. I've never seen anyone like that before. And Wolf…he didn't even come out of his room. She…she just lost it. There was no talking to her, Revy."

"Boo fucking hoo," Revy growled. "Cry me a fucking river, Rock. So what? Your latest girlfriend won't talk to you, huh? Big deal. What were you expecting when you went there? I've seen it too damn often with you."

"…Revy?"

"You always do this, you know that? Looking for fucking meaning or answers or whatever. It's fucking sickening. What is it you think you'll find, Rock? Love? Compassion? Hope? Get real, you fucking dipshit. There ain't nothing in this world worth looking for."

"Revy," he repeated, gentler this time. Again, she ignored him.

"And it always ends the same fucking way, with you on your ass in the dark. Nothing to show for your useless fucking searching. You don't make a difference, Rock, so why fucking bother?!" Her voice had been raised, though not enough to grab the attention of the others. Rock's eyes were wide now and he looked like he was afraid to be near Revy. She had slumped over in her seat, her dead, lifeless eyes staring blankly at the bar. Rock raised his arms as though to put them around her before stopping himself. That gesture would only be met with violence. Instead, he took her glass of rum and downed it in one gulp, smacking the glass back down on the bar. He, too, slumped over now, though that was a result of the foul mood he was in as opposed to Revy's drunken, rage-induced stupor.

"You're right," Rock said, much to Revy's surprise. She looked up at him, her eyes wide. "You've always been right, Revy. Like you said…I keep looking at Roanapur with life in my eyes, it's going to hurt. And it did. A lot. I'm…tired of that, Revy. I'm tired of trying to do…something and getting nothing out of it. I took a dark turn for a while, back when Lucille showed up. But I'm passed that, now. It's just…easier this way, to accept what you've been telling me." She grabbed the front of his shirt. He expected her to hit him, to scream at him for being this or that or the other, like she so often did. He was ready for it all. But she said nothing. He looked her in the eye and saw only pain there, an expression of sorrow on her face. It was not one she wore often. After a few moments of silently staring at him, she sighed and shut her eyes again, leaning her forehead against his.

"Goddammit, Rock," she wheezed. At this point, she was heavily drunk. But Rock had never seen her like this before, so emotionally vulnerable and affected by his words. "Why the fuck did ya have to go and say something like that?" He wasn't sure if she was angry at him for bringing up memories of when he had fallen to the darkness inside or upset that he was so miserable with the life he had. He didn't know for sure, but Rock had a theory that Revy secretly despised her own life, her existence in this cesspool of a city. As emotionally crippled and traumatised as she was, she still cared about Rock and what direction his life was taking. Whether he realised it or not, his sorrow was her sorrow. If he was miserable, so was she. It pained her just to see him like this, even if she would deny such a fact when she was sober. If she remembered this tomorrow, she wouldn't be in the best mood. If he was honest with himself, Rock wasn't in the best mood right now. Not only had his less than agreeable interaction with Usagi thoroughly upset him, but this whole week had brought back memories of the past. He remembered being kidnapped by a Japanese man in military fatigues, a young girl with white hair and a bullet hole in her head, the boathouse burning as he tried to save an Indian girl, his trip to Tokyo with Revy. And, of course, the whole ordeal with Roberta during her most infamous trip to the city to pursue the American military. His conversation with Revy after that job had been completed was fresh in his mind, all but reducing him to tears. He did not cry anymore. It was an emotional display he was almost incapable of. Too much torment and evil had managed to seep its way into his soul, virtually desensitising him to all manner of horror and depravity that years ago would have made him sick to his core. He was a shell of his former self. He was still a good man. The business with Major Landis was an important period of growth for him. Now that he had come out on the other side unscathed, he would never succumb to the darkness again. But there were still pieces of him missing, pieces he would never get back. And the longer he stayed in Roanapur, the more the city chipped away at him. Revy sighed deeply, a shaky sigh that almost suggested she would cry. But she was too strong for that, even under the effects of the alcohol. Rock placed one hand on her back. He could feel the heat of her body through the fabric of her tank top. Her heart beat was steady and strong, made quicker by his touch. "What the hell are you doing, Rock?" He almost panicked when he heard that, assuming she was referring to his hand on her back. "You've been in this shithole for this long and still you stick it out. If you hate it so goddamn much, why not leave?" Both of them still had their eyes closed, their foreheads pressed firmly together. Rock could feel her breath on his face, made heavier by her intoxication. He thought on her question for a few seconds.

"I can't leave," he told her simply. "There's nothing for me out there. You were with me in Tokyo. There's nothing for me to go back to. Even if there was…" He let it hang for a minute. "…I'd never leave Lagoon. You know that. You guys…well, you're like family to me now. I can't just leave." That was another risky statement, one that the old Revy would have reacted badly to, either with aggression or ridicule. But Revy had grown a lot over the last year and a half. That combined with the fact that she was drunk stopped her from reacting like she normally would to Rock's answer. Instead, she smirked and grunted a stifled laugh at him. She wanted to cry. Secretly, after hearing what he said, she wanted to let her emotions pour freely. It had been a long time since she had done so. But there was no way in hell she would show that kind of emotion here and now, in front of these people.

"Fucking shit," she grumbled. "I'm sick of this place. I'm heading home." She rose unsteadily from the stool then, only managing to stop herself from falling by grabbing Rock's hand and holding tightly.

"I'll walk you home," he offered. She scoffed in response.

"Always the fucking gentleman," she hissed. "I'm fine, Rock."

"Come on, Revy," he insisted. "You're in no state to walk by yourself." After a few seconds of eying him confrontationally, she finally submitted.

"Fine, ya goddamn dipshit." They were both silent as they walked slowly towards the apartment. Rock had to reach for Revy once or twice when it looked like she might fall but she caught herself just in time. They stumbled inside and headed on into her bedroom. As always, it was filthy. Bras, empty shells and pizza boxes littered the floor. Revy did not even acknowledge Rock's presence as she unbuckled her belt, slipped of her shorts and let her hair down. She fell onto her bed, then, and turned towards the window, facing away from Rock. He scratched the back of his neck, unsure of how to proceed. "What a night," he heard her mumble. "God-fucking-dammit. What a night…" She was snoring within seconds. With one last impulsive show of care, Rock grabbed the sheet of the bed that was ruffled up on the ground. Shaking the dirt off it and sniffing it quickly to make sure it was clean, he draped it over her before leaving the room.


	14. Chapter 14

Chapter 14: The Dead Men Cometh

Rock and Revy gathered outside Ulysses's apartment late that afternoon. They still weren't entirely sure what he wanted them for but he claimed he had a job for the both of them. Revy clutched the side of her head and squinted at everything around her, still hungover from the night before. She was barely awake an hour. The light hurt her eyes and Rock's voice seemed to annoy her even more than usual. Nevertheless, there was still an undeniable awkwardness between them, one neither had addressed yet. Revy remembered their conversation last night clearer than she would have liked. Rock's words along with her own seeming vulnerability last night bothered her incessantly. To the surprise of them both, Wolf walked up a few minutes later, looking none too pleased. Not wanting to increase the already prevalent tension, Revy decided not to ask him about Usagi.

"You got dragged into this shit too, huh?" she asked, her voice hoarse. He managed a smirk in response.

"Of course I did," he confirmed. "Don't really know what Ulysses wants to be honest."

"If he called us here, it's important," Rock interjected. "He must have more information about the Dead Men or their activities."

"Let's hope so," Revy muttered. "Otherwise, this is a waste of time." They fell silent then. Hunter's presence in the city bothered them all more by the day. Despite the fact that Balalaika laid down the law and showed him he had no right to make demands of her, his people were still in Roanapur. What was worse, nobody had any idea where they were or what they were planning. Aside from the appearance of his assassins, Hunter hadn't taken any notable steps towards getting back what he wanted.

"It was Black Bear," Wolf said then, breaking the silence. The others confusedly looked at him. "What happened to Usagi. It was that assassin. He came to the door asking for me, so she let him in. Then he just…fuck." Wolf looked away, but they could tell he was not sad. No, he was angry, angrier than they had seen him before.

"Why would he do something like that?" Rock asked. Considering Bear had been hired by Hunter, it didn't make sense for him to rape Usagi when the Dead Men wanted her returned to them unharmed. Either Hunter no longer cared about her safety and just wanted his documents back, or Black Bear made a serious error and made and enemy of Wolf, Revy and the Dead Men all in one day. Either way, he was as good as dead the next time he showed his face.

"What the fuck?" Revy exclaimed, folding her arms and sighing deeply.

"I'm going after him," Wolf told them. "I don't know how, but I'm going to track him down." That pleased Revy. After what the hitman had done, she would relish in seeing him suffer. She would insist on being there when he died. In actuality, she wanted to kill him herself. Nothing any of the rest would say or do could stop her if she got in a room with him alone. Ulysses pulled up in his black Sedan shortly. It was only him in the car. None of the Formation's people were around. That was odd, considering Ulysses almost never went anywhere alone. Still, they got into the car with him.

"Where the fuck have you been?!" Revy asked angrily. "We've been waiting here for twenty minutes."

"Apologies," the crime lord mumbled in his deep voice, pulling back out onto the road and starting off in the direction he just came from. "I had business to see to. I called you three here because I think I've pinned down where some of Hunter's people are staying. There's an old warehouse near the coast where my people have spotted one of his armoured jeeps. I went there myself to see if I could find anything."

"What do you need us for?" Rock asked.

"We're going to wipe them out," Ulysses told them. "I saw Rahul there only half an hour ago. If you two," he gestured to Wolf and Revy, "can kill the Dead Men inside, I hope to take Rahul hostage. Then you can speak to him, Rock. I don't imagine he'll talk to any of us and I understand you have a way with words."

"You could say that," Rock remarked uncertainly.

"We don't have a lot of time. His assassins are already in the city and they'll be coming for me next. If we can find out where Hunter is, we might be able to stop this before it begins."

"Why not get Rahul to call off the assassins?" Rock asked. "If you can convince him to cancel the contracts, you'll seriously hurt Hunter's efforts." Ulysses seemed to consider that momentarily. He did not look terribly enthusiastic about that idea.

"If you think it will work," he consented. "I'm not sure if they will answer to anyone but Hunter. Given their reputation, even he might not be able to call them off. But if he dies, they shouldn't be as difficult to dispatch." Revy cocked one of her Cutlasses. The sound made them all look towards her.

"Just give me something to shoot at," she proclaimed emphatically. "Been waiting for a shootout." Ulysses couldn't help but smile.

"As long as you two leave Rahul alive, I'll be happy." They continued towards the south of the city, the light of the sun fading and a dark, eerie night setting in. There was a full moon in the sky by the time they reached the warehouse. It looked dead, not a soul in sight. Its door was wide open. That was not a reassuring sign. "Be as quick as you can." Wolf and Revy nodded as they exited the car. They barely walked two feet before their guns were shot from their hands. Ulysses immediately exited the car and looked around. Five armed men had appeared on the roof of the warehouse. Though they were Dead Men, they no longer wore those signature blue suits. No, these gangsters had now donned black military fatigues and balaclavas. They looked more like terrorists than gang members. Three more appeared from inside, their rifles trained on Wolf and Revy as they advanced. Hunter was close behind, as predictably as ever. He clapped his hands mockingly, that sickening smile on his face.

"Nice try," he told them. "Really, you almost had me. Damn pity you showed yourself earlier, Ulysses. That's the only reason my boys knew you were coming." He motioned to his people. They proceeded to drag the four of them into the warehouse and force them to their knees. As soon as everyone was inside, Hunter stood before them, his gaze looking each of them up and down. "Ain't this a lovely reunion? After the last day, I wasn't sure I'd be seeing you guys again. I've never felt so happy about being proven wrong. This could have played out a whole lot differently. It's a damn shame you four managed to get yourselves into this shit." He patted the pocket of his overcoat as if to make sure its contents were still there. "Let me tell you how fucked you really are. I came here hoping that this shithole of a city would give me back Usagi. That's all I wanted, after all, the one thing here that actually belongs to me. I would've just left, no trouble, no assassins. But, hell, the old burn victim bitch doesn't take kindly to threats. I learned that the hard way, I'll admit. I still thought she'd give me the girl. That was foolish. I didn't want to have to call in my assassin buddies, Hotel Moscow forced my hand!" His eyes went to Wolf then, uncharacteristic shame on the gangster's face. "I want you to know I had nothing to do with what happened," he claimed, kneeling down in front of the assassin. "In all my years, Black Bear has never been so…despicable. He's always been obedient. He's damn good at what he does, after all." He looked at the ground then as if trying to decide what to say next. "He's as good as dead if I see him again. Usagi's father is a…friend of mine. The assassin, he was an employee. A gun for hire. The second he laid his hands on that girl, he made the worst mistake of his life." Wolf did not respond, but he almost felt glad that Hunter did not consent to Bear's actions. The American crime lord stood then and his expression returned to normal. "But that's beside the point, isn't it? The reason I brought you four in here is to finish the job Black Bear started. I hired him to kill you, Ulysses. And Chang. Balalaika, she's a special kind of monster. She was gonna take a bit more, hence why I called up Andromeda. I assume you know all about her. But seeing as how the old tribal bastard has gone and raped the fucking girl, he ain't under my command anymore. That leaves the job of killing Ulysses and Chang to me." His eyes fell on Ulysses as he reached into his pocket. "So…what's say we get started?" From his jacket, he produced a fingerless black leather glove. Upon first glance, it was innocent enough, the dim light of the desk lamp in the corner concealing its true malice. But as Hunter pulled it on over the glove on his right hand, they spotted several rows of steel spikes along the knuckles. This was the weapon he was going to use here today. "How do you think the Formation will survive without its noble leader? Bring him up, boys." Ulysses was forcefully grabbed by two of Hunter's men and plonked down in front of the man in black.

"Stop this!" Rock yelled, not content to watch this. None of them were, in all honesty, but they were either too shocked or helpless to do anything about it. "You don't have to do this, you can-!"

"Yes I do, little man," Hunter called, drowning Rock out. "You came to me once before to try and convince me to do things your way. I was happy to consider it then, but things have changed. It's a whole new world, Rock, and none of you are fucking winning. It didn't have to be such a painful birth, you all made it this way. So now, I'm going to show you what happens when I don't get what I want." With his left hand, he grabbed the front of Ulysses's shirt and pulled back his right as he prepared to begin.

"What the fuck do you think you're doing?!" Revy screeched.

"You can't do this!" Wolf concurred. Both of them had come to their feet only to be knocked back down by the Dead Men. Ulysses looked Hunter up and down for a second before closing his eyes and exhaling one last breath. The spikes of Hunter's glove bit into the man's face with a sickening crunch. Blood was smeared across the floor below them both. Ulysses was still alive, but his left cheek was torn apart and his teeth were visible through the scarred flesh. He struggled futilely against the grip of his attacker.

"Holy shit!" Hunter exclaimed, disturbingly giddy at his handiwork. "You're one tough sonofabitch, aren't ya?" He sent a second punch into Ulysses's face, then a third. The beating went on and on for what seemed an age as the concrete floor was covered with blood and chunks of flesh. By the end, Ulysses's entire head had been smashed to pieces and his lifeless body was thrown to the ground. Hunter gingerly removed his glove, then, and handed it to one of his men before kneeling down before Rock. Despite the fact that he had Revy to his right and Wolf to his left, he could not have felt more frightened. Hunter grinned darkly at him. "You see that? That was me showing you fuckers who's in charge and there wasn't shit any of you could do about it." With one last glance at them, Hunter rose to his feet and left the warehouse with his men. They all climbed inside the one armoured jeep outside and drove off in the other direction. The stink of blood and death filled Rock's nose. He couldn't pry his eyes away from the mangled corpse before him. For the first time in a long time, he was utterly terrified of what was to come. His heart was racing and his breathing was dangerously heavy as the other two stared in disbelief at what had just happened. They were all in serious trouble. Roanapur had never been in more peril.


End file.
